New Testing Provides Better Information on Heart Risk

Recent advances in cholesterol testing now provide doctors with information on your chances of having a heart attack. Doctors are now able to measure the size of your cholesterol to determine how it will affect your heart.

The test, lipoprotein subfraction test, measures the size of cholesterol particles and provides warning signs when it finds small LDL and HDL particles. If you are found to have both types of particles you are at a higher risk standard for a heart attack. The reason the risk is so high for small LDL cholesterol particles is because their small size allows them to burrow into the heart's vessels. As they burrow they can form damaging plaques. HDL particles soak up cholesterol from vessel walls then transport it to the liver so it can be extracted from the body. However, due to a high number of small HDL particles they compound this process because they aren't doing their job well. It is now understandable why women with low total cholesterol counts can still have blockages of the heart. These women may have small LDL cholesterol particles that are burrowing into the vessels and causing plaque. These small particles don't contain much cholesterol and so at first glance they don't seem like much of a threat. The test costs about $200 extra and doctors suggest taking the test if you have high blood pressure or are prediabetic or diabetic.

Talk with your doctor about whether you're a candidate for the test. In addition to lifestyle modifications, medications (including a prescription-strength version of the B vitamin niacin) can improve the density and size of your LDL and HDL cholesterol.