Advanced Cardiometabolic Labs

Look deeper than LDL and A1c.

Standard labs don’t tell the full story.

Traditional lab testing for “bad” cholesterol and blood sugar provides an incomplete view of cardiovascular disease, metabolic health, and diabetes risk. Effective prevention requires early recognition & management of the factors that lead to Type-2 diabetes and dysfunction of lipid particles that contribute to plaque formation in arteries.

Our advanced CARDIOMETABOLIC LABS give you a deeper look at lipids, inflammation, and insulin resistance.

Learn more about our individual tests and panels with pricing below.

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Individual Tests

Lipids/Cholesterol

Black and white illustration of a layered cake with different textures and patterns.

  • The “good” type of cholesterol helps clear away plaque from blood vessel walls. There are some strong genetic influences of HDL in some people but a higher level is ideal.

    Included in all panels.

  • A binding protein found on “bad” cholesterol types that promotes plaque formation in blood vessel walls (atherosclerosis).

    Included in all panels.

  • Lipoprotein (a), or Lp(a), is a molecule that is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. This marker is strongly genetic and cannot be improved much through lifestyle changes.

    Included in Expanded & Advanced Panels.

  • Apo A-1 is the main protein content of HDL. Decreased levels correlate with increased risk of coronary artery disease (CAD), and is a better measure of “good cholesterol” than HDL alone.

    Included in Expanded & Advanced Panels.

  • This NMR LipoProfile measures the number and full spectrum of lipid particle by size. The smallest LDLs are most associated with plaque formation so reported as the most important metric.

    Included in Advanced Panel.

Inflammation

Black and white illustration inflammation inside an artery wall

  • High Sensitivity C­-Reactive Protein (hs­-CRP) is an inflammatory marker that signifies increased cardiovascular risk. Very high levels (> 10) can also be seen with numerous problems (e.g. infection).

    Included in all panels.

  • Fibrinogen is elevated with various type of inflammation. Persistently elevated levels are associated with an increased risk of atherosclerosis.

    Included in Expanded & Advanced Panels.

  • Homocysteine can be elevated for a number of reasons, including deficiency in B-vitamins or folate. It is an independent risk factor for the development of cardiovascular disease.

    Included in Expanded & Advanced Panels.

  • Oxidized low density lipoproteins (oxidized LDL) is now considered to be a key event in the biological process that initiates and accelerates the development of the early atherosclerotic lesion, the fatty streak.

    Included in Advanced Panel.

Metabolic / Insulin Resistance

A monochrome drawing of a human finger showing a cross-section of the fingertip, including a cluster of circular structures representing nerve endings or other tissue inside the finger.

  • Aka. “blood sugar”, glucose is the primary source of energy for your body. Elevated levels in a fasted state can signify diabetes or risk of diabetes in the future.

    Included in all panels.

  • A high level of fasting insulin is an indicator of insulin resistance; occurring well before a rise in blood sugars (type 2 diabetes). Lower levels are associated with less risk of cardiovascular disease.

    Included in all panels.

  • An estimation of average blood sugar over the past 120 days. A diagnosis of diabetes is made at 6.5, but higher than 5.6 is a risk for developing diabetes ­­- often called “pre­-diabetes”.

    Included in all panels.

  • The fat particles that transport cholesterol. High levels often coincide with obesity and insulin resistance, especially when combined with low HDL.

    Included in all panels.

  • Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT) is a liver enzyme. Higher levels are associated with injury or inflammation; most commonly “fatty liver disease”, often found with metabolic syndrome.

    Included in all panels.

  • High uric acid is associated with a number of chronic disease states, including cardiometabolic diseases. High levels are associated with gouty arthritis but are not sufficient to make a diagnosis.

    Included in all panels.

  • After ingesting carbohydrates (75g of glucose here) your blood glucose and insulin levels will naturally rise for at least 30-60 minutes, before lowering. Elevated glucose or insulin levels at 1-3 hours (a delayed peak) suggests insulin resistance or metabolic syndrome.

    • 1-hour post-prandial Glucose & Insulin included in Expanded panel.

    • Modified Kraft Protocol (1 & 2-hour post-prandial Glucose & Insulin) included in Advanced panel.

  • Aka. “CGM”. This tiny sensor placed on the skin measures your blood sugar every 1-3 minutes 24/7 (continuously) for 14-15 days. The data is pushed to your smartphone (iPhone or Android).

    Included in Advanced Panel

Schedule My Lab Test

You can learn more about our panel options here.

Cardiometabolic Lab Panels

Basic Panel

Lipids: HDL, Apolipoprotein B

Inflammation: hs-CRP

Metabolic: Glucose (fasting), Insulin (fasting), Hemoglobin A1c, Uric Acid, ALT

Blood: Hemoglobin

$109

Expanded Panel

Basic Biomarker panel, PLUS…

Lipids: Apolipoprotein (A), Lp (a)

Inflammation: Fibrinogen, Homocysteine

Metabolic: 1-hour* post-prandial (oral glucose) Insulin & Glucose

$239

Advanced Panel

Basic & Expanded Biomarker panels, PLUS…

Lipids: NMR LipoProfile (Particle Size)

Inflammation: oxLDL

Metabolic: Modified Kraft Protocol = 1 & 2-hour* post-prandial (oral glucose) Insulin & Glucose, Continous Glucose Montior (1 sensor = 2 weeks)

$349

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