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Cardiovascular Risk Analysis: How Blood Can Prevent Heart Disease
What is cardiovascular risk?
Cardiovascular risks are the likelihood of developing events related to the heart and blood vessels: heart attack, stroke, thrombosis, heart failure. In international practice, it is customary to assess the risk not upon the fact of the illness, but in advance, even when the person is still feeling well.
Blood has the ability to store "traces" of future problems. Even slight increase in certain markers may indicate the beginning of processes that will lead to serious complications over the years.
Why take a test if nothing hurts?
Heart attack in 70% cases occurs in people without a previous diagnosis
Clogging of blood vessels (atherosclerosis) lasts for years without causing symptoms
Type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome and obesity often detected only after changes in laboratory values
Blood markers allow you to see what is not visible on an ECG or ultrasound
What indicators are evaluated when increased risk is suspected?
It more than one analysis, and comprehensive assessment of several parameters, which together form a "cardioprofile":
Lipid spectrum:
LDL (low-density lipoprotein) – considered «bad»
HDL (high-density lipoprotein) – protects blood vessels
Triglycerides – increase with poor diet and alcohol
Inflammation markers:
High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) – indicates damage to the walls of blood vessels
Carbohydrate metabolism:
Fasting glucose
Glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) – reflects the average sugar level for 2–3 months
Coagulation indicators:
Fibrinogen – increased levels indicate a tendency to thrombosis
D-dimer – if microthrombus formation is suspected
Specific markers (not in all laboratories):
Homocysteine – damages the vascular endothelium
Lp(a) – a genetically determined factor of early atherosclerosis
How to understand that it is worth getting tested
Even one of these factors may be a reason:
Age over 40 years old
Increased blood pressure
Overweight, obesity
Increased stress, sedentary lifestyle
Smoking, even episodic
Family history: heart attack or stroke in close relatives under 60 years of age
Recovery after COVID-19, heart attack, surgery
Pregnancy planning or hormone therapy
What does the analysis give the patient?
Objective risk assessment in numbers
The opportunity to change your lifestyle or start treatment in time
Selection of medications (e.g. statins) based on individual profile
Prevention of thrombotic complications in COVID-19 or after vaccination
How to take this test
Blood is taken on an empty stomach
In 2–3 days: no alcohol, fatty foods, physical exertion
On the day of collection: only water
Some medications are needed temporarily cancel, be sure to inform the doctor
The results are interpreted by the doctor: internist, cardiologist or endocrinologist. Individual indicators may be normal alone, but in combination indicate high risk.
Comprehensive cardiovascular risk assessment is a way predict future heart health, while there is still time to influence it. One analysis - and you know how long your "engine" will work without failures.
