Heart Health+ – Clinic

FBC stands for Full Blood Count. This blood test measures the number of red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets in your blood. It also checks the size of your platelets and red blood cells, the amount of haemoglobin in your red blood cells and the volume of blood containing red blood cells.

Total Cholesterol    
Total cholesterol refers to the amount of all types of cholesterol in your blood. This includes HDL or ‘good’ cholesterol and LDL or ‘bad’ cholesterol. Cholesterol is used to build cells and make hormones. However, high levels of LDL cholesterol can cause fatty deposits to build up on the insides of your arteries and lead to cardiovascular disease. 

HDL Cholesterol    
HDL stands for high-density lipoprotein. HDL cholesterol is commonly called ‘good’ cholesterol. This is because the protein HDL helps remove excess cholesterol from your body by transporting it to your liver, where it is broken down. In general, higher levels of HDL cholesterol mean you are less likely to develop cardiovascular disease.

LDL Cholesterol    
LDL stands for low-density lipoprotein. The LDL protein attaches to cholesterol to transport it to cells around your body. LDL cholesterol is commonly called ‘bad’ cholesterol. This is because it is more likely to build up along the insides of your arteries, causing them to narrow. In general, higher levels of LDL cholesterol mean you are more likely to develop cardiovascular disease.

Small LDL Cholesterol
Small LDL refers to small, dense low-density lipoprotein particles in your blood. Like LDL cholesterol, small LDL is often considered a type of ‘bad’ cholesterol. This is because these smaller particles are more likely to pass into the walls of your arteries and contribute to the buildup of fatty deposits over time. In general, higher levels of small LDL cholesterol may be associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

Triglycerides refer to a type of fat that your body uses as an energy source.

High levels of triglycerides in your blood can cause fatty deposits to build up on the insides of your arteries and lead to cardiovascular disease.

Total Cholesterol/HDL Cholesterol Ratio

This ratio refers to the amount of HDL or ‘good’ cholesterol you have in your blood relative to the total amount of cholesterol in your blood.

It is an important factor in calculating your risk of developing cardiovascular disease because it considers how much of your total cholesterol is good cholesterol.

Apolipoprotein A-I (ApoA-I)
Apolipoproteins bind to fats to help transport them around the body. High levels of apolipoprotein A-1 mean you also have high levels of HDL or ‘good’ cholesterol. This means you are less likely to develop cardiovascular disease. 

HDL helps remove excess cholesterol from your body. Your apolipoprotein A-1 level reflects how effective HDL in your body is at removing excess cholesterol. 

Apolipoprotein B (ApoB)
Apolipoproteins bind to fats to transport them around the body. High levels of apolipoprotein B mean you also have high levels of LDL or ’bad’ cholesterol. This means you are more likely to develop cardiovascular disease. 

Levels of LDL cholesterol can be approximated by measuring your total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol and triglycerides. However, measuring apolipoprotein B provides a more accurate measurement of your LDL cholesterol because for every particle of apolipoprotein B, there is always one particle of LDL cholesterol.

Apolipoprotein B/A-I Ratio (ApoB/ApoA-I)
Apolipoprotein B levels provide a more accurate measurement of how much ‘bad’ or LDL cholesterol is in your body. Apolipoprotein A-I levels provide more information about how your ‘good’ or HDL cholesterol is contributing to your cardiovascular health. 

The apolipoprotein B/A-I ratio, therefore, is a good measure of your risk of developing cardiovascular disease — a high ratio means you are more likely to develop cardiovascular disease. 

Apolipoprotein CII (ApoC-II)
Apolipoprotein CII is a protein that switches on the activity of an enzyme that breaks down fats. If you have very high fat levels in your blood, specifically triglycerides, an apolipoprotein CII blood test can help investigate why. Low apolipoprotein CII levels mean your body cannot break down fats properly, which increases your risk of cardiovascular disease. 

Apolipoprotein CIII (ApoC-III)
Apolipoprotein CIII is a protein that switches off the activity of an enzyme that breaks down fats. If you have very high fat levels in your blood, specifically triglycerides, an apolipoprotein CIII blood test can help investigate why. High apolipoprotein CIII levels mean your body cannot break down fats properly, which increases your risk of cardiovascular disease. 

Apolipoprotein E (ApoE)
This blood test checks for different versions of the fat-binding protein apolipoprotein E. Certain versions are associated with a higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease and/or Alzheimer’s disease. 

Lipoprotein (a)
Lipoprotein (a) is a protein that helps transport fats around your body. High levels of lipoprotein (a) in your blood can cause fatty deposits to build up on the insides of your arteries and increase your risk of cardiovascular disease. 

While HDL and LDL cholesterol levels are mainly affected by your diet, lipoprotein (a) levels do not usually change in response to your diet. Instead, your lipoprotein (a) levels are determined by your genes. 

High Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein (hs-CRP)

C-reactive protein is made by your liver in response to inflammation in your body.

Raised C-reactive protein levels show that you have a health condition that is causing inflammation. A high-sensitivity C-reactive protein blood test can detect lower amounts of C-reactive protein than a standard C-reactive protein blood test.

This is useful for detecting low levels of inflammation, which increase your risk of developing cardiovascular disease.