Risk assessment of cardiovascular disease

We often come across patients who have no or minimal risk factors for sudden cardiovascular events but about 15% of all heart attacks occur in patients with no apparent risk on routine lab testing. So what are we missing ? 

At our practice, we have started to offer some of the advanced lab testing, which will tell us lot more about the hidden risk of someone having heart attack or stroke. These tests measure the level of inflammation in the body, breakdown of particles of lipid and few other blood tests, which then will give us precise information about someone's risk of having an event ! By using these tests, we then, work proactively to reduce the risk. 

It will also tell us which patients with high LDL need to be treated, at present contemporary medical practices blindly put every one with slightest increase in LDL or triglycerides on lipid lowering agents, which do have tons of side effects. 

It is also interesting to know that about 15% of heart attack occur in patients with normal LDL! By using our advanced testing, we can identify these patients and start working on reducing their risk with diet and exercise. Our practice is drug shy and we very carefully consider using the drugs for anyone.