NMR LipoProfile test

Each year, heart attacks kill more than 8 times as many women than breast cancer,1 and 15 times as many men than prostate cancer.1,2  More people will die of a heart attack than the next 10 causes of death combined.1  Even more alarming ...

A major study showed:
50% of the people who suffered a heart attack had normal cholesterol levels.(3)

Relying on a standard cholesterol test to know your risk for heart disease isn’t enough.  It’s important to get the whole picture by using the NMR LipoProfile test—a test that measures the number of LDL particles.  LDL particles carry the cholesterol in your body and are more closely linked to heart disease risk than the cholesterol they carry.  A cholesterol test does not measure the number of LDL particles and can underestimate people’s risk for heart disease.

Why is it important to know your LDL particle number?

The fewer LDL particles you have, the lower your risk for heart disease.(7)

It's not the cholesterol that's 'good' or 'bad', it's the particle that carries it. Most people imagine cholesterol to be a yellow waxy substance that flows through the bloodstream and gets caught on the artery wall, forming plaque.

This is partially true… cholesterol is a waxy substance found naturally in the body, and also in food. However, cholesterol does not travel freely through the bloodstream; it’s carried in containers called particles. It’s the particles that are 'good' or 'bad', not the cholesterol.(3-6)

There are two main types of particles:

•    LDL, the 'bad' particles, carry cholesterol. These LDL particles stick to the artery walls and form plaque, blocking the flow of blood to the heart and causing heart disease, which can lead to a heart attack.(3-6)
•    HDL, the 'good' particles, carry cholesterol and other fats out of the bloodstream.(3-6)

The fewer LDL particles you have, the lower your risk for heart disease.7  A recent major study showed low numbers of LDL particles were associated with 27% fewer heart attacks than equivalently low LDL cholesterol levels.7

Only the NMR LipoProfile test measures the number of LDL particles and cholesterol information, giving you a more complete picture of your heart disease risk.

Who should get the NMR LipoProfile test?

There are certain factors that put people at greater risk for heart disease.  If you have any of the following conditions, you are a good candidate for the NMR LipoProfile test:
•    Previous heart attack or related event
•    Diabetes
•    Family history of heart attack or related event
•    High blood pressure
•    Obesity/Overweight
•    Metabolic syndrome / cardiometabolic risk
•    Low HDL (dyslipidemia)
•    High triglycerides

If you’ve ever been prescribed LDL cholesterol-lowering treatment (including diet, exercise, or medication) to reduce your risk for heart attack, you should get the NMR LipoProfile test

Anyone who wants a better understanding of their risk for heart disease should get the
NMR LipoProfile test.

For more information, visit  www.nmrlipoprofile.com

1. American Heart Association, Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics – 2007 Update. 2. Prostate Cancer Foundation. 3. Cromwell et al. Am J Cardiol 2006;98:1599-1602.  4. McBride and Stein, Contemporary Diagnosis and Management in Preventive Cardiology (Humana Press 2006)  5. Cromwell et al. Curr Athero Reports 2004;6:381-7.  6. Otvos et al. Am J Cardiol 2002;90(suppl):22i-29i.  7. Cromwell et al. J Clin Lipidology 2007;1:583-592.