Cholesterol helps track heart risk Doctors use cholesterol tests to see how healthy a person\u2019s heart is. LDL cholesterol is often called \u201cbad cholesterol.\u201d <\/p>\n High levels can increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Another measure, non-HDL cholesterol, also helps doctors decide when to start treatment.<\/p>\n These tests look at how much cholesterol is in the blood. But heart disease is not just about the amount of cholesterol. It also depends on how many harmful particles carry that cholesterol through the blood<\/a>.<\/p>\n When test results mislead<\/p>\n Imagine two people with the same LDL level<\/a>. One person may have more harmful particles than the other. That person faces a higher risk, even though the test result look similar.<\/p>\n This is where current tests fall short. They do not count the number of harmful particles. Because of this, some people may not get the treatment they need at the right time.<\/p>\n Over time, these particles can stick to the walls of blood vessels and form blockages that can lead to heart attacks or strokes.<\/p>\n What apoB actually measures<\/p>\n ApoB is a simple blood test. It measures the number of harmful cholesterol particles in the blood. Each particle has one apoB protein, so counting apoB gives a clear picture of risk.<\/p>\n \u201cResearch strongly shows that apolipoprotein B (apoB) is better at identifying who is at risk, because it counts the total number of harmful particles in the blood,\u201d said Ciaran Kohli Lynch of Northwestern University<\/a> Feinberg School of Medicine. <\/p>\n This means apoB helps doctors see the real risk, not just an estimate.<\/p>\n A better way to guide treatment<\/p>\n Researchers at Northwestern Medicine studied 250,000 adults using a computer model. These people needed cholesterol treatment but did not yet have heart disease<\/a>.<\/p>\n The study compared three different methods: one based on LDL levels, another on non-HDL levels, and the third on apoB levels.<\/p>\n If a person did not meet the target, doctors increased treatment with stronger medicines. The goal was to see which method prevented more heart problems.<\/p>\n The results were clear. ApoB-guided treatment worked best. It helped prevent more heart attacks and strokes<\/a> than the other methods.<\/p>\n High value, better outcomes<\/p>\n Many people worry that better tests will cost more. But this study showed that apoB testing is worth the cost.<\/p>\n \u201cWe found that apoB testing to intensify cholesterol-lowering medication would prevent more heart attacks and strokes than current practice, and that these health benefits were achieved at a cost that represents good value for U.S. healthcare payers,\u201d said Kohli Lynch.<\/p>\n This means apoB testing can save lives without adding too much cost to healthcare systems.<\/p>\n Old habits slow change<\/p>\n Even with these benefits, apoB is not part of most routine tests. One reason is that doctors need to order it separately. Standard cholesterol tests do not include it.<\/p>\n Another reason is habit<\/a>. Doctors have used LDL for many years. It takes time for new methods to become common in everyday practice. But awareness is growing, and more doctors may start using apoB in the future.<\/p>\n What this means for patients<\/p>\n Health organizations like the American Heart Association<\/a> now suggest starting cholesterol treatment earlier for some people. This makes it even more important to measure risk correctly.<\/p>\n ApoB helps doctors understand who needs more treatment and who does not. This helps them give the right care at the right time and reduces serious health problems later.<\/p>\n Simple change with a big impact<\/p>\n This study shows that a small change in testing can make a big difference. Doctors usually check cholesterol levels, but that does not show the full risk. <\/p>\n ApoB testing counts harmful particles in the blood, which gives a clearer picture of heart health.<\/p>\n With this test, doctors can make better treatment decisions. This can help prevent heart attacks and strokes and improve overall health.<\/p>\n The study is published in the journal JAMA<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u2014\u2013<\/p>\n Like what you read? Subscribe to our newsletter<\/a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.<\/p>\n Check us out on EarthSnap<\/a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls<\/a> and Earth.com.<\/p>\n \u2014\u2013<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Heart disease is one of the biggest health problems in the world. Many people get regular blood tests…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":390649,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[103,61,60],"class_list":{"0":"post-390648","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-health","8":"tag-health","9":"tag-ie","10":"tag-ireland"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/390648","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=390648"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/390648\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/390649"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=390648"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=390648"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=390648"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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