Beyond Basic Cholesterol: The Heart Health Tests You Need to Know About

At One Medical, we are dedicated to helping you understand your unique heart health. Book a Heart Health visit to check these numbers

Think you’re in the clear because your cholesterol test came back normal? When it comes to protecting your heart, most people don’t know that a cholesterol check is just the beginning. Standard cholesterol panels can miss crucial warning signs, leaving many people with "normal" results still at risk for heart disease.  Let us introduce you to three powerful tools that can give us a clearer picture of your heart health—and they could save your life. 

Imagine your blood vessels as highways. Your regular cholesterol test only tells us how heavy the traffic is, but Apolipoprotein B (ApoB) tells us exactly how many vehicles are on the road. And guess what? It's the number of vehicles (particles), not their weight, that determines traffic jams in your arteries. 

This distinction matters. You could have normal Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL-the bad cholesterol) levels but still harbor dangerous numbers of small, dense particles that slip easily into artery walls, building the plaques that cause heart attacks. ApoB catches these hidden risks, making it particularly valuable for people who want to prevent problems before they start.

The good news? You can improve your ApoB numbers by helping your liver by:

• Eating fewer saturated fats
• Cutting back on processed carbs
• Working with your doctor on medication options if needed

By cutting back on saturated fats, your liver pulls more LDL particles from circulation, naturally lowering ApoB. When lifestyle changes aren't enough, medications like statins, ezetimibe, and PCSK9 inhibitors can provide additional protection.

Lipoprotein (a) (Lp(a) is cardiovascular medicine's troublemaker. This sticky cholesterol particle creates a triple threat: it builds arterial plaque, triggers inflammation, and increases blood clot formation. Here's something interesting: about 1 in 5 people inherit a particle called Lp (a) that can increase their heart risk. The cool thing? You only need to test for it once in your life. This test is commonly recommended for anyone with personal or family history of early heart disease. While we can't change it through diet or exercise (thanks, genetics!), knowing your Lp(a) level helps us plan better for your heart health.

The silver lining is that exciting new treatments specifically targeting Lp(a) are currently in development, offering hope for those with elevated levels.

Starting at age 30, we can use a tool called the PREVENT score to estimate your heart disease risk over the next 10 and 30 years. Think of it as a preventative tool that helps spot potential problems before they happen. The PREVENT score considers your unique combination of factors. This knowledge is transformative because most risk factors—blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, smoking, weight—can be modified, empowering you to take steps to help keep your heart healthy. Your One Medical health care provider can test for any missing data in your risk score, help you understand what your score means, and can partner with you to create an individual plan to optimize your score. 

Here's what you can do today:

1. Schedule a Heart Health visit with your One Medical healthcare provider
2. Ask about testing for ApoB and Lp(a)
3. Get your personal heart risk score calculated
4. Work with us to create your custom heart protection plan

Remember: Heart disease is largely preventable when you have the right information and take action early because when it comes to your heart, knowledge truly is power.