Diagnostic Tests that Better Identify
and Manage Risk

Having one or more of the following risk factors indicates that you would need an advanced test, a more comprehensive lipid analysis.
If You:
  • have CAD or diabetes
  • are currently taking cholesterol-lowering drugs
  • have a positive family history for coronary heart disease or diabetes
  • have low HDL or elevated LDL cholesterol
  • have triglycerides greater than 199 mg/dL

Learn more about

Advanced Tests

Routine Cholesterol Profile:

The traditional lipid profile calculates LDL cholesterol concentration and fails to identify the increased risk associated with the "more" atherogenic components and sub-species of LDL, HDL and VLDL.
The Friedewald Formula
LDL-C = TC — HDL-C — (TG/5)
TG/5 represents VLDL-C (very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol)
The chart below illustrates how people with the normal total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides levels can have very different levels of risk. It is important to note that the traditional lipid profile fails to identify these new NCEP risk factors.
Advanced Lipid
Risk Factors		 % Population Increased
Relative Risk
Lp(a) >25% 2-3X
Small Dense LDL >50% 3-4X
Elevated Remnant Lipoproteins 15% 2-3X
Elevated Non-HDL-C, LDL & VLDL 40% 2-3X
Low HDL/HDL2 >5% 2-3X
NCEP Guidelines provides for use of these secondary and emerging risk factors to set a more aggressive target LDL-C goal for patients at elevated risk beyond total LDL-C.
Target LDL goal with Routine Assessment of TC LDL HDL TG Incorporating ATP III residual risk factors promotes consideration for lowering target LDL goal by 30mg/dL Optional target LDL goal with advanced lipid testing
130 - 100 mg/dL
Small dense LDL
LP(a)
Remnant Lipoprotiens
Metabolic Syndrome
Non-HDL Cholesterol
Low HDL.2
Elevated apo B
Elevated Particle Number
100 - 70 mg/dL