Thank you for clarifying which test to use.  

I personally find this information very helpful.

My previous testing was done at Berkeley.

How often do you suggest retesting be done?  Yearly or ??

Thank you.

Marilyn

Marilyn--
In the Track Your Plaque program, we advocate lipoprotein testing at the beginning to diagnose the full extent of causes of coronary plaque, and then again when correction is believed to have been achieved. Standard lipids are used in between to assess response. Of course, this is just one way we've used that we've become comfortable with.

The VAP does provide IDL on their profile.

What sort of external validation does NMR have on their methods?

Randox provide a kit which tests for the full lipid profile - a group of tests comprising triglycerides, total cholesterol, HDL and LDL cholesterol. The lipid profile is used, together with other risk factors, to assess a person's risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD).

It is very important to get the balance between the protective HDL and the destructive LDL right in order to reduce the risk of CVD. This can be achieved either through dietary and lifestyle changes or treatment with cholesterol reducing drugs called statins.

All Randox cholesterol tests, including small LDL, are direct enzymatic clearance tests, and as such are highly accurate even in lipaemic samples.

For more information click here http://www.randox.com/lipid%20profile.php

Having done many of all three (though least of VAP), I am partial to Liposcience's NMR. (By the way, I receive no fees from Liposcience to use their test, nor to promote it in any way.)

I know a group of guys that run marathons regularly.  If you asked them why they run, they will tell you there are two reasons; one to prevent heart disease and two to drink beer with out gaining weight.  Special emphasis will be placed on drinking beer.  I was reminded this week of how much the group enjoys their beer when the head of the group CCed me on a letter he wrote to Kroger grocery store pointing out that their Miller beer price is significantly higher priced than Wal-Mart, located just across the street.  If Kroger did not lower the price, well, they might just have to shop elsewhere.  

I'm going to send them this blog and tell them they can stop running blind.  Today there are tests to determine if you have heart disease.  I'd suggest to them to drink red wine instead of beer, but that might be asking too much.

That's great.

Now we can only hope that their doc's know what to do next if any of them have Lp(a) or other "obscure" factors.

When (what age) should one have a heart scan and Lp(a) test done if there are no symptoms? What would be the approximate cost to get the recommended testing done and evaluated?

I am curious as to why you focused on LPa as the likely cause. For example I am a regular runner and my LPa is in the low normal range. Is there something about running that makes LPa abnormalities more likely?

Hi,
I believe that the combination of Lp(a) and marathoners is no more likely than the general population, but it makes for media hype--the apparent contradictions of ultra-fitness and a disease generally associated with poor lifestyle. Lp(a) is, more often than not, the source of the contradiction.

Do you have any advice on a Vitamin C/Lysine regimen? Apparently this combination was recommended (in high doses) by Linus Pauling years ago for cardiac health, particularly in controlling high levels of Lp(a). TIA

John--

I can only tell you that we've tried a number of times only to see no substantial effect.

The concept has the basis in some real--and very interesting science--but the leap from a "test tube" observation to a "cure" for heart disease and cancer is, to say the least, a big one.

Mike--Please see the extensive commentary on these issues on the Track Your Plaque website that this Blog accompanies. You will find an enormous amount of discussion, even in the non-Member, open content section.