|
News
June 8, 2009
Lab Tests for Heart Health
Keeping your heart healthy is one of the main jobs of laboratory tests. They give you and your doctor a heads-up when there are trouble signs, and they tell you how much progress you're making in addressing any problems.
Most people are familiar with cholesterol tests-some even can quote you their "good" and "bad" cholesterol numbers. But fewer people know about the wide range of lab tests that play a big role in all aspects of heart health-preventing heart problems, diagnosing heart attacks when they occur, and helping manage heart conditions. Here are some highlights of such tests and why they are important.
Preventing heart problems
Lab tests identify risk factors for heart conditions that can be eliminated or managed through lifestyle changes or medication.
| Cholesterol/Lipids |
Information from cholesterol/lipid tests identify individuals at increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
- Better cholesterol control can reduce risk of major coronary events by 31%.
- Individuals who take cholesterol-lowering drugs for 5-7 years can reduce their heart disease risk by almost one third.
|
| CRP |
Blood test identifies C-reactive protein, which signals the presence of inflammation that can lead to blockage of arteries.
- Testing and treatment led to 54% drop in heart attacks, 48% drop in strokes, according to '09 New England Journal of Medicine study.
|
Diagnosing heart attack
Lab tests provide physicians with vital information that helps them identify heart attack quickly, even when a patient's symptoms are unclear.
| Troponin |
Test measures troponin, an enzyme released after a heart attack.
- Levels rise significantly 3-6 hours after an attack; remain high 1-2 weeks.
- Testing led to 50% increase in patients diagnosed with confirmed heart attack, according to '04 Journal of Clinical Pathology study.
|
| CK (Creatine Kinase) |
Test identifies CK, an enzyme released by dying cells in the heart, brain, or skeletal muscle.
- CK levels rise after 4-6 hours; reach the highest level after 18-24 hours.
- Studies show testing leads to more accurate diagnosis and earlier discharge from hospital.
|
| Myoglobin |
Test identifies myoglobin, a protein released when heart and skeletal muscles are damaged.
- Together with CK and Troponin testing, myoglobin testing led to 33% reduction in length of stay, 29% reduction in total costs in 2000 study.
|
Managing heart conditions
Lab tests provide information about an individual's unique, genetic circumstances that allow physicians to tailor care to their exact needs.
| Gene test for increased heart disease risk |
Gene variations increase a person's susceptibility to heart disease and heart attack.
- Gene test identifies the variations, allowing physicians to increase the dosage of statin drugs for such patients.
- Treatment approach leads to a significant reduction in risk of heart attack and coronary heart disease.
|
| Gene test to aid in dosing blood-thinning drugs |
Gene variations in a person's ability to metabolize, or process, a common blood-thinning drug often lead to clotting and bleeding.
- Gene tests aid in more precise and individualized dosing.
- Broad use could reduce strokes by 17,000, costs by $1 billion annually, according to 2006 think tank study.
|
| Gene test to identify Sudden Cardiac Arrest Syndrome |
Gene variations increase the likelihood of sudden cardiac arrest.
- Gene tests identify the underlying genetic variation and can more effectively diagnose the problem than can clinical methods.
- Early diagnosis and treatment for patients with this genetic variation can lead to lower incidence of cardiovascular events.
|
For more information about the value of laboratory medicine, go to www.labresultsforlife.org.
|
|
