Diagnostic Blood Test:

• Total Cholesterol
• HDL Cholesterol
• LDL Cholesterol
• Triglycerides
• Apolipoprotein B (ApoB)
• GlycA
• Diabetes Risk Index (DRI)

Total Cholesterol measures the levels of both high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) in the blood. Cholesterol is necessary for creating new cells, producing hormones, making vitamin D, and creating bile (a fluid that aids in digestion). However, too much cholesterol may raise the risk of heart attack and stroke.

High-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) or “good” cholesterol is known to decrease the risk of heart attack and stroke by removing “bad” cholesterol from the blood vessels. HDL carries away other types of cholesterol to the liver in order to be flushed out of the body.

Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) or “bad” cholesterol builds up within the blood vessels. LDL levels help predict risk of heart disease and stroke and provide information about whether lifestyle changes or medications may improve heart health and overall wellness.

Triglycerides are a type of fat located in the blood. High triglyceride levels may be a result eating more calories than are burned. Triglycerides can harden and thicken the walls of the arteries, increasing the ability of “bad” cholesterol to form plaques and raising the risk of heart disease.

Apolipoprotein B (ApoB) is a protein found in different types of “bad” cholesterol, including low-density lipoprotein (LDL), lipoprotein(a), and very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL). ApoB can transfer extra cholesterol into the body’s tissues. High levels of ApoB in the blood are linked to a higher risk of developing heart disease.

GlycAis a novel composite marker of inflammation that reflects enzymatic glycosylation, the process by which sugar attaches to proteins. GlycA reflects the serum concentration and glycosylation state of five major acute-phase inflammatory proteins (a1‐acid glycoprotein, haptoglobin, a1‐antitrypsin, a1‐antichymotrypsin, and transferrin).

The Diabetes Risk Index (DRI) is a nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR)-derived multimarker score (values 1-100) that predicts a patient's risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) independent of glycemic status. DRI derives its performance from the weighted addition of the Lipoprotein Insulin Resistance Index (LP-IR) scores with simultaneously-measured levels of branched-chain amino acids (BCAA).

Note: Fasting is recommended for 12 hours prior to blood draw.