Another Tool to Predict Heart Disease—The NMR LipoProfile Test

Another Tool to Predict Heart Disease—The NMR LipoProfile Test

Simply knowing your total cholesterol number isn’t good enough anymore. With heart disease continuing to be one of the leading causes of death among women, early detection and prevention are critical tools in the fight to reduce heart attacks and stroke.

Doctors increasingly are turning to tests such as the NMR LipoProfile test to provide them with a more advanced level of information than cholesterol tests alone in identifying patients at risk for heart disease.

The NMR LipoProfile test measures the size and counts the number of lipoprotein particles in the blood. Lipoprotein particles carry cholesterol through the bloodstream and can build up in the arteries.

Scientists have found that certain types of lipoprotein particles provide better clues to predicting heart disease than others. As with the LDL count in your cholesterol panel, it’s generally better to have a lower number of LDL particles in your NMR LipoProfile. Larger particle sizes are generally better as well.

“The research shows that if two different people have an LDL of 100, but one of them has small, dense particles and more of them, that person is at much greater risk of having a heart attack or stroke if left untreated than the other person,” says Dr. Peter Fergus, cardiologist with Green Bay HeartCare. “When combined with other risk factors, this test can provide your doctor with a better picture of your overall heart health.”

While knowing the levels of LDL—“bad” cholesterol—and HDL—“good” cholesterol—is helpful, studies show that as many as 50% of people who suffer heart attacks have “normal” cholesterol numbers. This statistic sent researchers looking for other ways to predict heart disease.

“This extra information helps us as physicians choose more appropriate cholesterol medicines and track our patients’ progress more accurately,” Dr. Fergus says.


Is an NMR LipoProfile test appropriate for you? Call Green Bay HeartCare at 920-496-8877 to find out.

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