AComplete Cardiac workup can be a life saving measure to prevent or treat existing or potential cardiovascular disease. This panel is designed to detect recent or past cardiac muscle inflammation due to myocardial infarction (heart attack), risk for arteriosclerosis, stroke, and heart disease. It also includes a new and advanced cholesterol test called an NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance) that measures the amount of LDL (Low Density Lipids) the bad fats which cause build up of cholesterol within the arterial wall that can lead to a stroke. This panel will allow your physician to properly determine medication treatment and ongoing treatment to meet your cardiac needs.
Tests
| Name | Description |
| CRP C-Reactive Protein | C-Reactive protein or CRP appears to be correlated to cardiovascular disease risk. Inflammation (swelling) of the arteries is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. It has been linked to an increased risk of heart disease, heart attack, stroke, and peripheral arterial disease. Doctors can test your blood for C-reactive protein (CRP). The body produces CRP during the general process of inflammation. Therefore, CRP is a "marker" for inflammation, meaning its presence indicates an increased state of inflammation in the body. |
| Fibrinogen Activity | Fibrinogen is a protein that plays a key role in blood clotting. Fibrinogen is a sticky, fibrous coagulant in the blood that appears to significantly increase the risk of experiencing one of the leading causes of death and disability - stroke. |
| Homoscysteine | A homocysteine test measures the amount of the amino acid homocysteine in the blood. You may have high levels of homocysteine when cholesterol, white blood cells, calcium, and other substances (plaque) build up in your blood vessels. This build up may increase your chances of having a heart attack, stroke and blood clots in the lungs (pulmonary embolism) or deep veins of the legs (deep vein thrombosis). This test helps to determine your risk for having heart disease, stroke, and diseases of the blood vessels (peripheral arterial disease). It helps identify vitamin B12 deficiency or folic acid deficiency. |
| NMR Lipo Profile | A standard cholesterol test doesn’t give you enough information to know your true risk for heart disease. The NMR Lipo Profile test provides the number of LDL particles. This advanced test also measures the particle size and enables your doctor to take simple steps to reduce your risk by lowering your LDL particle count to acceptable levels. |
| Lipo-protein (a) | Lipoproteins are tiny particles that circulate in the blood. They contain cholesterol, fat, and protein in varying amounts depending on the body's need. Abnormalities in the amounts or kinds of lipoproteins in the blood can cause increased risk of atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is sometimes referred to as hardening or narrowing of the arteries. These changes in the arteries lead to heart attack, angina, and stroke. Lipoprotein (a) is a lipoprotein molecule similar to low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. Both lipoprotein (a) and LDL are rich in cholesterol and contribute to atherosclerosis of the blood vessels. |