This test requires a blood draw, so please ensure you can refer to a phlebotomist in the clients area before you order this test
The Oxidised LDL test is designed to detect various cardiovascular conditions including Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) and atherosclerosis.Descriptions:
This panel combines both the Oxidised LDL and Liposcan tests, please see below for information on each indiviudal test:
Oxidised LDL
The test is designed to detect various cardiovascular conditions including Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) and atherosclerosis. Lipid peroxidation, caused by the effect of free radicals on unsaturated fatty acids, plays a key role in a variety of pathological processes. Oxidised LDL is important for estimating the risk of atherosclerosis and treatment of an overt expression of such cardiovascular diseases. Small LDL particles are the markers of oxidized LDL cholesterol.
Oxidized LDL macrophages are recorded and stored via scavenger receptors. They convert them into foam cells as a result, and attach themselves to the vessel walls. The resulting inflammatory processes lead to the accumulation of other immunoreactive cells, the so-called atherosclerotic plaque. The break-up of atherosclerotic plaques and energy stores cause subsequent blood clots which are the most common cause of acute arterial occlusion. This enables practitioners to determine a patient's current atherogenic risk and assign treatments accordingly.
Liposcan (HDL & LDL Subfractions) is a new procedure that determines the actual heart attack risk by means of a differentiated analysis of HDL and LDL subfractions.
It is a popular fallacy that high cholesterol levels automatically mean an increased heart attack risk. The fact is that nearly half of the patients without heart attack have higher cholesterol levels as well and that a considerable portion of heart attack patients has low cholesterol levels. Individual differences exist in particular with respect to the LDL levels and here, even more importantly, in the size distribution of the LDL particles. The small LDL particles in particular have a very high atherogenic potential. Therefore, it is less important how much cholesterol a patient has, but which type of cholesterol is elevated and which size distribution the cholesterol particles have. These are the parameters the risk assessment and the therapy depend on.
If high quantities of atherogenic LDL particles have actually been found, there will be the possibility to identify the cause of these findings. The interaction of various genes may be responsible in this case. They can be identified by means of a simple genetic test. This can be used to derive a specific, individual therapy for the patient. This therapy comprises both allopathic approaches using lipid-lowering drugs and the well-targeted change of living habits and nutrition. It is made clear to the patient using graphics what different ways of living mean in connection with his genetic profile. This makes it possible for the patient to influence this himself / herself.