Cardio IQ Advanced Cardiovascular Tests

Guiding Personalized Patient Therapy
Cardio IQ
®
Advanced Cardiovascular Testing
Heart disease is complex. Let Quest Diagnostics and Cardio IQ
help you and your doctor determine your cardiovascular risk profile.
For Patients
The Cardio IQ Report
Cardio IQ Advanced Cardiovascular Tests
Measuring Lipid Subclasses using Ion Mobility
The way most doctors test for heart disease is with a lipid panel. It helps
detect what HDL (good) and LDL (bad) cholesterol are, so hopefully you can
reduce your risk of a possible cardiac event such as a heart attack. Nearly
half of all heart attack patients were found to have no prior risk which would
indicate they were heading toward an attack.
Quest Diagnostics offers advanced cardiovascular tests that help provide a
more accurate and individualized picture of risk. The tests look beyond just
HDL and LDL cholesterol to identify undiagnosed (or additional) risk.
These advanced cardiovascular tests, along with your lipid panel, will provide
more information that you and your doctor can use to understand your
complete cardiovascular health.
Lipid Subclasses as measured by Ion Mobility Technology
nowing what particles make up your LDL and HDL cholesterol may be important. Ion Mobility Technology provides
K
subclass separation that will allow your healthcare provider to identify your cardiovascular risk over time. Following
the change in your lipid profile as you respond to diet, exercise and possible medication to reduce your cardiovascular
risk is important. Ion Mobility provides the opportunity to determine if treatment is working and if not, optimize the
aggressiveness of therapy to hopefully make a difference that can be seen in the Ion Mobility measurement and graphical
representation of your LDL and HDL particles.
Additional Cardio IQ Tests and what they can mean to your
cardiovascular health
Apo B
• Apo B is a direct measurement of the number of lipoprotein particles, including LDL (“bad cholesterol”), IDL, and VLDL
• A high Apo B number indicates increased risk for heart disease
• Certain medications, improved eating habits, increased physical activity, and loss of body fat are some ways to
improve Apo B
Lp(a)
• H
igh levels of Lp(a) are associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke
• Lp(a) levels may be influenced by genetics. Diet and exercise have limited to no effect on lowering Lp(a); however, certain
medications can lower levels
Fibrinogen
• Fibrinogen is a part of the blood’s clotting process and can be elevated due to inflammation
• Continual high levels are linked to an increased risk for heart disease
• Fibrinogen levels can be lowered by stopping tobacco use and losing excessive body fat
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The Cardio IQ Report
hs-CRP
• H
igh levels of C-Reactive Protein (CRP) indicate inflammation due to infection or tissue injury
• Modestly elevated CRP levels may be associated with increased heart disease risk. If both CRP and Lp-PLA2 levels are
high, your risk for a heart attack or stroke increases significantly
• Certain medications and food may have anti-inflammatory benefits
Lp-PLA2
• High levels of Lp-PLA2 can predict risk of a heart attack or stroke
• When both Lp-PLA2 levels and systolic blood pressure are high, stroke risk increases significantly
• Certain medications can reduce levels of Lp-PLA2
NT-proBNP
• N
T-proBNP is a hormone released from heart muscle cells in response to ongoing stress or strain on the heart
• A high level of NT-proBNP is a warning signal that your heart is being overworked
• The early identification of high levels may help your physician decide on a treatment plan to lower the risk of a heart
disease event
ST2
• ST2 is a test that is used to help monitor the progression of heart failure if heart failure has already been diagnosed
• High ST2 levels may mean the heart failure is getting worse and a change in therapy is needed
Hemoglobin A1C
• Hemoglobin A1C is a test that reports the average blood sugar levels in your blood over the past 90 days
• High levels may mean you have prediabetes or diabetes
• The Hemoglobin A1C test is more specific for helping figure out who may have diabetes now or in the future
Glucose
• Glucose measures the sugar levels in the blood
• High glucose levels (hyperglycemia) may mean you are not responding to the insulin your pancreas is making so the
sugar is not getting to your cells to do the work of the body
• Low levels of glucose in your blood are called low blood sugar or hypoglycemia
• The most common disease that causes a problem in the regulation of glucose is diabetes
Homocysteine
• High levels of homocysteine can cause injury to blood vessel walls, increasing your risk for heart disease and stroke
• Nutrition, such as increasing intake of folate-rich foods, plays an important role in reducing levels of homocysteine
3
Insulin
• Insulin is released from the pancreas to regulate blood sugar (glucose) levels
• Constant high levels are linked to an increased risk for heart disease, diabetes, and other health conditions
• High insulin levels can be improved with proper nutrition, exercise, stress management, or certain medications
Omega-3 and -6 Fatty Acids, Plasma
• L ow Omega-3 fatty acid levels are linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, including sudden
cardiac death
• Omega-3 levels may be low due to eating diets poor in Omega-3 fatty acids
• If levels are low, your physician may recommend increased consumption of foods high in Omega-3 fatty acids
and/or Omega-3 supplements
Vitamin D
• L ow vitamin D levels are linked to an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, hypertension, and heart failure
• Vitamin D levels may be low for many reasons, such as insufficient sun exposure, eating diets poor in vitamin D,
and obesity
• If levels are low, your physician may recommend vitamin D supplements
For more information about Cardio IQ Advanced Cardiovascular
Testing, speak to your doctor or visit 4myheart.com
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