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Step 2: Identify the Causes of Your Plaque
Do you know why you have coronary plaque? Has your doctor determined the precise reasons why you have coronary plaque in the first place? If you don’t know why you have plaque, how can you keep it from growing? At the very least, knowing you have hidden coronary plaque should cause you and your doctor to view your cholesterol values (LDL, HDL, triglycerides, total cholesterol) in a new light. Your LDL of 124 or HDL of 42, for instance, may no longer be acceptable since they reflect the situation that contributed to developing coronary plaque. Allowing your LDL to stay at 124 may guarantee that your coronary plaque continues to grow. From a plaque control viewpoint, your cholesterol values should be reconsidered. In the Track Your Plaque program, we help you and your doctor decide how to re-assess your cholesterol values and use them to gain control of plaque. My Doctor said my cholesterol was fine. . .So why did I have a heart attack?! Cholesterol (total and LDL) is only one of many causes of plaque build-up and heart attacks. In fact, half of all heart attacks victims have LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels in the normal range. Like scanning technology, Track Your Plaque also takes advantage of advances in blood testing technologies. These new tests identify hidden blood particles and further classify them by size and concentration to create a blood "Lipoprotein Profile" that is unique to you. By identifying plaque causes beyond LDL cholesterol, the Track Your Plaque program allows you to target therapy tailored to your personal lipoprotein profile instead of simply using a "one size fits all" strategy. This hugely increases your chances of success in controlling plaque. Lipoproteins have the potential to provide deep insight into your risks for heart disease with greater confidence than provided by mainstream lipid testing. The superior information provided by lipoproteins helps you devise a more effective program to prevent heart attack in your future. If you have heart disease in your family, have high blood pressure or diabetes, or have any measure of coronary plaque, you should strongly consider lipoprotein testing. If you've had coronary disease already diagnosed—you've had a heart attack, angina, or a heart procedure like coronary angioplasty/stent or bypass surgery—then lipoprotein testing can be a crucial part of your program to prevent future cardiac catastrophes, particularly if conventional lipids have failed to pinpoint the cause of your disease. How can I get a personal lipoprotein profile? Thankfully, more and more physicians are recognizing the deficiencies of conventional lipids and have turned to lipoprotein testing for better answers. But, just as with cholesterol testing, lipoproteins are best interpreted by a professional who is well-versed on the technology and how to use the information to your best advantage. The easiest way to identify a physician near you to obtain these tests is to contact the laboratories that perform them. They can direct you to local resources and physicians in your area. To have your blood drawn for lipoprotein analysis, choose one of the two options below: 1. The Liposcience website can be found at www.liposcience.com . E-mail to contact your local representative, who can then steer you towards physicians using the technology in your area. Or, you can call 1-877-547-6837 and ask for your local representative to assist you. 2. The Berkeley HeartLab website can be found at www.bhlinc.com where you can find a “consumer hotline” (select the “In the news” button) to help identify practitioners using this lipoprotein testing technology in your area. You can also call 1-866-871-4408. http://www.bhlinc.com Both lipoprotein testing companies keep a listing of "draw sites" across the country, general laboratories that can provide the blood-drawing service but not interpretation. Your doctor can, therefore, have your blood drawn by a draw site, with results forwarded to him/her. You can also contact us at to request interpretation services ($75 fee). For physicians interested in educational materials and seminars to learn more about lipoprotein analysis and its clinical application, contact LipoScience or Berkeley HeartLabs. Both provide excellent educational materials and can help obtain the learning and experience necessary to apply these technologies . Your lipoprotein profile, along with your calcium score, provide the vital information needed in Step 3 of the Track Your Plaque program. If you doctor is unable to interpret the information provided by your lipoprotein testing, members can use the Track Your Plaque Personal Program Builder to create your own personal program.
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MEDICAL DISCLAIMER |
TERMS & CONDITIONS |
PRIVACY POLICY
Copyright 2005, 2006 Track Your Plaque, LLC Track Your Plaque, the logo, and stylized text are service marks of Track Your Plaque, LLC |
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