Comprehensive
Cardiovascular & Stroke

Lipoprotein(a) is a genetically inherited cholesterol particle that promotes both arterial plaque and blood clot formation. It is one of the most potent independent risk factors for heart attack and stroke — and it's almost never tested in standard panels.

Why we included it: Up to 1 in 5 people carry elevated Lp(a) without knowing it. It doesn't respond to diet or standard medications, so identifying it early is critical for tailoring your prevention strategy before symptoms appear.

Apolipoprotein B (ApoB) counts every harmful cholesterol particle in your blood — LDL, VLDL, and IDL. Each particle carries exactly one ApoB molecule, making it the most precise measure of cardiovascular and stroke particle burden available.

Why we included it: Major cardiology organizations now recommend ApoB over LDL as the primary lipid marker for cardiovascular risk. Some people with normal LDL have dangerously high ApoB — a hidden risk that standard panels miss entirely.

High-sensitivity C-Reactive Protein (hsCRP) measures vascular inflammation — the process that turns cholesterol deposits into dangerous rupture-prone plaques and makes blood vessels more prone to the clot formation that causes strokes.

Why we included it: Half of all heart attacks occur in people with normal cholesterol, and elevated hsCRP doubles stroke risk independently of lipid levels. It's one of the most powerful actionable markers available — and it responds directly to lifestyle changes.

Total cholesterol is the starting point for any cardiovascular assessment — a combined measure of all cholesterol types circulating in your blood, providing essential context for interpreting your full lipid profile.

Why we included it: It provides the baseline framework for understanding how your HDL, LDL, and triglycerides fit together to form your overall vascular and stroke risk picture.

HDL (High-Density Lipoprotein) is your protective cholesterol — it scavenges harmful particles from artery walls and shuttles them back to the liver. Higher levels are associated with lower risk for both heart disease and stroke.

Why we included it: Low HDL is one of the strongest independent predictors of heart disease and stroke, and one of the most responsive markers to exercise and diet — giving you a direct measure of whether lifestyle changes are working.

LDL (Low-Density Lipoprotein) is the primary driver of arterial plaque buildup. When LDL particles penetrate artery walls and oxidize, they trigger the inflammatory cascade that underlies most heart attacks and strokes.

Why we included it: LDL remains the most studied and clinically actionable lipid marker for both heart disease and stroke prevention — and the standard benchmark against which advanced markers like ApoB are compared.

Triglycerides are blood fats that elevate after excess sugar and refined carbohydrate intake. High levels drive the formation of small dense LDL — the most dangerous and artery-clogging form of cholesterol for both cardiac and stroke risk.

Why we included it: High triglycerides combined with low HDL is one of the most predictive patterns for both heart attack and stroke risk — and one of the first signs that metabolic health is declining.

HbA1c reflects your average blood sugar over the past 2–3 months. Chronically elevated blood sugar stiffens blood vessels, promotes inflammation, and dramatically accelerates both cardiovascular disease and stroke risk.

Why we included it: Diabetes and prediabetes double or triple stroke risk, and even mildly elevated HbA1c — well below the diabetes threshold — significantly increases the risk of a cardiac event. HbA1c catches blood sugar problems months or years before they're clinically diagnosed.