Issue link: https://cp.revolio.com/i/474241
inflamed, which may indicate that plaque is more likely to rupture, which could lead to a heart attack or stroke. e Lp-PLA2 test was FDA approved for coronary heart disease assessment in 2003 and ischemic stroke risk assessment in 2005. is enzyme is now emerging not only as a biomarker of arterial wall inflammation, but also a direct player in the atherosclerotic disease process, with a recently published study suggesting that Lp-PLA2 plays a key role in cholesterol plaque formation and vulnerability (risk that the plaque may rupture explosively and trigger a heart attack or stroke). e researchers note that their findings support reducing Lp-PLA2 as a strategy for preventing CHD. Evidence-based guidelines from the American Heart Association and other groups also endorse the test as "reasonable" to screen symptom-free people who are at intermediate risk for heart disease or increased risk for stroke. Unlike the UACR test, which evaluates the health of the endothelium (by checking if the blood vessel lining had become so dysfunctional that large molecules of albumin are spilling from the bloodstream in the kidneys into the urine), the Lp-PLA2 test is designed to answer a different, but extremely important question: Is there fiery plaque hidden inside the artery wall that might erupt like a volcano? What the Results Mean: Lp-PLA2 values of less than 200 ng/mL are considered normal. In the Mayo Heart Study, 95 percent of patients with scores under this threshold did not have a heart attack or stroke in the next four years, even though they had coronary artery disease (CAD). e researchers also found that the higher Lp-PLA2 levels, the greater the risk for first heart attack, stroke, or major CV event. Compared to patients with normal levels, those with scores of 200 to 266 ng/mL had a 70 percent higher risk of these events over the next four years, while a level of 267 or above more than doubled the risk. Myeloperoxidase (MPO) What the Test Checks for: is FDA-approved blood test measures myeloperoxidase, an enzyme that the immune system uses to fight infection. Normally, it's only found at elevated levels at the site of an infection. If it's elevated Page 28| Abby's Magazine - www.AbbysHealthAndNutrition.com