Randox Lipids Reagents

Lipid tests are used to assess an individual’s risk of heart attack or stroke. Lipid tests are the most important of the cardiac risk tests as they provide a clear indication of whether someone is likely to have a coronary event caused by a blockage of the blood vessels or atherosclerosis (narrowing of the arteries caused by build-up of fatty deposits).

A complete lipid profile involves routine tests such as Total Cholesterol, Triglycerides, HDL Cholesterol and LDL Cholesterol to measure the levels of triglycerides and cholesterol in the blood. An extended lipid profile measures emerging risk factors of cardiovascular disease (CVD).

Key Benefits

Extended analysis of blood lipids and emerging risk factors

In addition to the conventional lipid profile Total Cholesterol, HDL Cholesterol, LDL Cholesterol and Triglycerides, we also have extended tests which can provide extra information on a patient’s lipid profile. This includes measurement of lipoproteins and their counterparts, apolipoproteins, which have the role of transferring triglycerides, cholesterol and other fats to appropriate cells for metabolism. Measurement of these allows investigation into why abnormal lipid levels may be occurring.

Apolipoprotein A-I (removes excess cholesterol from extra-hepatic tissues) test is used to find the cause of high lipid levels and discover if a disorder is causing Apo A-I deficiency

Apolipoprotein B (the main protein in LDL cholesterol aka ‘bad cholesterol’) test is used as an extended risk assessment of cardiovascular disease; elevated levels indicate increased risk even when total and LDL cholesterol levels are normal.

Apo A-I and Apo B are useful to assess patients with a personal or family history of high concentrations of lipids and/or heart diseases, for diagnosis of conditions causing elevated lipid levels, for monitoring the effectiveness of lipid lowering treatments, and, when used together they can determine Apo B/Apo A-I ratio as an alternative to total cholesterol/HDL cholesterol ratio when determining CVD risk.

Analysis of emerging risk factors also contributes to risk assessment of cardiovascular disease:

Lipoprotein (a) levels are genetically determined and remain fairly constant as they are not affected by lifestyle factors such as diet. High levels can occur in individuals with an otherwise normal lipid profile and can increase risk of cardiovascular disease. It is recommended that patients who have developed cardiovascular disease at a young age or those with a family history of premature heart disease be tested.

sdLDL Cholesterol, a subtype of LDL Cholesterol aka ‘bad cholesterol’ is a vital marker for heart attack; elevated levels are associated with a three-fold increased risk of heart attack

Apolipoprotein A-II, a major constituent of HDL Cholesterol, plays an important role in reverse cholesterol transport and lipid metabolism; the production of Apo A-II levels determine the distribution of Apo A-I in HDL (Apo A-I removes excess cholesterol), and therefore increased production of Apo A-II promotes atherosclerosis

Apolipoprotein C-II, an aid in the assessment of CVD; Apo C-II deficiency can lead to hypertriglyceridemia (elevated triglyceride levels) in patients

Apolipoprotein C-III, an aid in CVD risk assessment with elevated levels associated with both primary and secondary hypertriglyceridemia, in addition to being reported higher in patients with type 2 diabetes, hyperbilirubinemia, kidney deficiency and decreased thyroid function

Apolipoprotein E, responsible for the transport of triglycerides to the liver and distribution of cholesterol between cells; deficiency can lead to premature atherosclerosis