BOSTON – August 31, 2024 – An article published in the New England Journal of Medicine on August 31st, showed that a combined measure of 3 blood tests was predictive of an increased risk for the development of cardiovascular disease in women. Researchers from Harvard Medical School obtained the blood tests from almost 30 thousand women who were then followed for 30 years. They were followed until either a major cardiovascular event occurred or until the completion of the study after 30 years. The blood tests were high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and lipoprotein(a).
About 1 in 5 Americans died from heart disease in 2022, according to the CDC. It is the leading cause of death in the U.S. Cardiovascular disease can include heart disease, stroke, and heart attack.
The standard lipid panel is a common blood test that measures the levels of different types of cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood. This blood test is used to monitor and screen for someone’s risk of cardiovascular disease. Having high levels of certain types of cholesterol and triglycerides can lead to coronary artery disease, a precursor of cardiovascular diseases. Coronary artery disease can reduce the blood flow to the heart by narrowing the heart’s arteries.
The LDL blood test is the standard biomarker that health care providers use to determine a person’s heart disease risk. High levels are associated with high risk. LDL is commonly referred to as the “bad” cholesterol. On the other hand, high-density lipoprotein (called HDL) is the “good” cholesterol.
High-sensitivity C-reactive protein is an indicator of inflammation. It is a protein produced in the liver that increases in response to inflammation or infection. It can be measured by a simple blood test. The high-sensitivity test is more sensitive than the standard test and can measure smaller increases.
Lipoprotein(a) is not included in the standard lipid panel. However, it is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. It is important to understand that lipoprotein(a) is unique because it is genetically determined without much fluctuation after early childhood. Lipoprotein(a) is a low-density lipoprotein variant and carries cholesterol through the blood stream to cells
The Harvard study’s results suggest that early prevention, before the usual timeframe, may reduce the risk of a woman to develop cardiovascular disease, including heart attacks and strokes.
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Contact: Dr. Dick Needleman, Health reporter, 103.3 AshevilleFM, healthyasheville@ashevillefm.org