Testing your blood to avoid cardiovascular disease

Don't let complacent doctors put you at risk for heart disease and stroke. The following chart shows the most common blood tests that can help reveal underlying cardiovascular disease risk factors.

As can be seen on the chart below, blood test results that conventional doctors accept as being "normal" can be lethal to you. In other words, what the "Standard smalltext Range" allows is not always a practical indicator for where your "optimal" level should be.

In many cases, a "Standard smalltext Range" reflects what is expected to be seen in the average population. Since cardiovascular disease remains the number one killer of Americans, you don't ever want to be part of the "average" range when it comes to cardiovascular disease risk factors.

By keeping your blood levels in the "Optimal Range," rather than the average "Standard smalltext Range," you take advantage of the increasing volume of evidence showing that most heart attacks and strokes are preventable.

As you can see, the "Standard smalltext Range" often dangerously differs from what the published research indicates is protective against cardiovascular disease.

Blood Test
What The "Standard smalltext Range" Allows
The "Optimal" Level
Where YOU Want To Be
Fibrinogen
Up to 460 mg/dL
Under 300 mg/dL
C-reactive protien
Up to 4.9 mg/L
Under 2 mg/L
Some studies indicate C-reactive protien levels should be below 1.3 mg/L(23,24)
Homocysteine
Up to 15 micro mol/L
Under 7 micro mol/L
Glucose
Up to 109 mg/dL
Under 100 mg/dL
Iron
Up to 180 mg/dL
Under 100 mcg/dL
Cholesterol
Up to 199 mg/dL
Between 180-220 mg/dL
LDL cholesterol
Up to 129 mg/dL
Under 100 mg/dL
HDL cholesterol
No lower than 35 mg/dL
Over 50 mg/dL
Triglycerides
Up to 199 mg/dL
Under 100 mg/dL
DHEA
Males: No lower than 80 mcg/dL
Between 400-560 mcg/dL
Females: No lower than 35 mcg/dL
Between 350-430 mcg/dL


References

1. Megan C Leary et al. Incidence of Silent Stroke in the United States. Abstracts of the International Stroke Conference 2000 32: 363-b.

2. Kelly PJ, et al. Mild-to-moderate hyperhomocyst(e)inemia and risk of stroke. Abstracts of the International Stroke Conference 2000 32: 366.

3. “Homocysteine And Heart Attacks—How Super Nutrients Can Protect You,” by Paul Frankel, Ph.D. and Terri Mitchell. Life Extension magazine, July 1997. http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag97/july97_cover.html

4. Chyi-Huey Bai, et al. Relations between coagulation profiles, lipid profiles, and other risk factors with risk of first-ever ischemic stroke: a novel case-control study. Abstracts of the International Stroke Conference 2000 32: 367-b Poster Presentation. P 156.

5. Jiunn-Rong Chen, et al. Dilatation of common carotid artery is strongly associated with cerebral ischemic stroke with or without the presence of carotid atherosclerosis Abstracts of the International Stroke Conference 2000 32: 365-d.

6. Heinrich J Audebert, et al. Predictors of Progression in Lacunar Stroke. Abstracts of the International Stroke Conference 2000 32: 347-c.

7. Paul Trouillas, et al. The “making” of a parenchymal hematoma. An early coagulopathy and specific risk factors contribute to grave intracerebral bleeding after intravenous rtPA thrombolysis. Abstracts of the International Stroke Conference 2000 32: 345-a.

8. Ijem J, et al. More than cholesterol: the complexity of coronary artery disease. S D J Med 2000 Nov;53(11):489-91.

9. Pasceri V, et al. Direct proinflammatory effect of C-reactive protein on human endothelial cells. Circulation 2000 Oct 31;102(18):2165-8.

10. Fichtlscherer S, et al. Elevated C-reactive protein levels and impaired endothelial vasoreactivity in patients with coronary artery disease. Circulation (Online) 2000 Aug 29;102(9):1000-6.

11. Di Napoli M, et al. Prognostic influence of increased C-reactive protein and fibrinogen levels in ischemic stroke. Stroke 2001;32:133-138.

12. Ikonomidis I, et al. Increased proinflammatory cytokines in patients with chronic stable angina and their reduction by aspirin. Circulation 1999 Aug 24;100(8):793-8.

13. Devaraj S, et al. Alpha tocopherol supplementation decreases serum C-reactive protein and monocyte interleukin-6 levels in normal volunteers and type 2 diabetic patients. Free Radic Biol Med 2000 Oct 15;29(8):790-2.

14. McMillan DC, et al. Effect of extended ibuprofen administration on the acute phase protein response in colorectal cancer patients. Eur J Surg Oncol 1995 Oct;21(5):531-4.

15. Anderson IF, et al. The antirheumatic effect of benoxaprofen. S Afr Med J 1983 Jun 11;63(24):923-5.

16. Kipper-Galperin M, et al. Dehydroepiandrosterone selectively inhibits production of tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin-6 [correction of interleukin-6] in astrocytes. Int J Dev Neurosci 1999 Dec;17(8):765-75.

17. Reddi K, et al. Interleukin 6 production by lipopolysaccharide-stimulated human fibroblasts is potently inhibited by naphthoquinone (vitamin K) compounds. Cytokine 1995 Apr;7(3):287-90.

18. Teucher T, et al. [Cytokine secretion in whole blood of healthy subjects following oral administration of Urtica dioica L. plant extract]. Arzneimittelforschung 1996 Sep;46(9):906-10.

19. Rifai N, et al. Proposed cardiovascular risk assessment algorithm using high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and lipid screening. Clin Chem 2001;47:28-30.

20. Ridker PM, et al. Inflammation, aspirin, and the risk of cardiovascular disease in apparently healthy men. N Engl J Med 1997 Apr 3;336(14):973-9 Erratum in: N Engl J Med 1997 Jul 31;337(5):356.

21. Ridker PM, et al. Prospective study of C-reactive protein and the risk of future cardiovascular events among apparently healthy women. Circulation 1998 Aug 25;98(8):731-3.

22. Stvolinsky S, et al. Carnosine protects rats under global ischemia. Brain Res Bull 2000 Nov 1;53(4):445-8.

23. “Teasing out the value of new C-reactive protein test” by Karen Sandrick In CAP Today, 2000 Jan pg 43-47.

24. Kaneko K, et al. C-Reactive protein in dilated cardiomyopathy. Cardiology 1999;91(4):215-9.

For additional information see The American Stroke Association website: http://www.strokeassociation.org

 

Source: Life Extension Foundation www.lef.org