The Heart & Vascular Center

Beyond Cholesterol

by Becky Fullam, MS, ARNP

The benefits of lowering cholesterol according to the guidelines suggested by the National Cholesterol Education Panel include decreased risk for heart attack. However, many people with low cholesterol readings require angioplasty, bypass surgery, or suffer a heart attack. How do you know which percentage you fall into? How do you predict your risk?

Clearly, other factors contribute to these cardiac events. Certain inheritable traits alter the good and bad cholesterol particles or the blood vessel lining itself. This in turn can promote the development of cholesterol blockages even when cholesterol readings are normal or even low! In some cases, these traits lie dormant but are activated by weight gain, sedentary lifestyle, smoking or an unhealthy diet.

Research into this field of hereditary risk factors has revealed several measurable and treatable traits. Your hidden risk may be identified through several blood tests. One of the leading experts in this exciting field is Dr. Robert Superko. He is the medical director of the Berkeley Heart Laboratory. Lawrence Berkeley National laboratory has developed several tests over a 40 year period to measure these inheritable traits. In the past, these results were used for research only. Two years ago, this lab began offering these tests to any physician who wished to more specifically tailor cholesterol treatment to the individual patient’s inheritable traits.

The Heart Center is excited to be on the forefront of this research and offer our patients this sophisticated testing. Your Heart Center cardiologist makes treatment recommendations based on the results of the cholesterol test. More information on this topic will be offered as part of the February Heart Month lecture series when Becky Fullam, MS, ARNP speaks on “Beyond Cholesterol” February 26th at 5:30 PM.