The 5 Most Common Types Of Blood Tests To Help Determine Your Risk Of Coronary Heart Disease

If you wonder whether you have heart disease, the answer may lie in your blood.

Our blood travels all over the body to deliver oxygen and other nutrients to all cell types. At the same time, it picks up things along the way. Therefore, it can hold clues to many health questions, including your heart health. If your doctor suspects that you have heart disease, then they will likely send you for an array of tests, one of which includes a blood test. Blood tests are convenient because they can be used to look for a whole bunch of things by drawing blood just one time.

1. Cholesterol test

Most people have heard of cholesterol, largely in a bad context. Cholesterol isn't, however, always negative. Blood tests administered for heart disease patients will likely look a five different parameters:

• The amount of total cholesterol in your blood, which includes a sum of both the “good” and “bad” cholesterol. A high amount of total cholesterol puts you at a greater risk for heart disease. The normal range for total cholesterol levels is less than 200 milligrams per deciliter or 5.2 millimoles per liter.
• The amount of low-density lipoprotein (LDL). This is the infamous “bad” cholesterol as high levels of LDL in your blood are associated with an increase in the amount of fatty deposits in your blood vessels, which block blood flow and can lead to a heart attack. The normal range for LDL levels is below 130 milligrams per deciliter or 3.4 millimoles per liter, though ideally it should be below 100 milligrams per deciliter, particularly if you have risk factors for heart disease.
• High-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels. This is the “good” cholesterol that you are encouraged to consume as it helps eliminate LDL cholesterol and keeps blood vessels open. The normal range for HDL is 40 milligrams per deciliter for a male and over 50 milligrams per deciliter for females.​
• Non-HDL cholesterol levels. Non-HDL cholesterol levels refer to the difference between levels of total cholesterol and HDL. High levels of non-HDL cholesterol, which include LDL, intermediate-density lipoprotein and very-low-density lipoprotein, are involved in the process that leads to blockage of arteries. Studies have shown that non-HDL levels might actually be a better indication of increased risk of heart disease compared to LDL.
• Triglyceride levels. Triglycerides are a type of fat that are present in the blood. Having high levels of triglycerides indicates that you consume more calories than you burn. As such, high levels of triglycerides can lead to an increased risk of developing heart disease. The normal range for triglyceride levels is less than 150 milligrams per deciliter or 1.7 millimoles per liter, though guidelines indicate that having triglyceride levels of lower than a 100 milligrams per deciliter is ideal.

2. High-sensitivity C-reactive protein

C-reactive protein (CRP) is frequently measured as part of blood work-up as it is a very sensitive indicator of the presence of inflammation. However, while CRP is good at letting us know whether our bodies are suffering from inflammation, it can’t tell us exactly what is causing the inflammation. Heart disease, particularly atherosclerosis (hardening of arteries) is characterized by high levels of inflammation. Thus, your doctor may ask you to undergo a blood test to evaluate your CRP levels. This, along with all the other tests that your doctor can ask you to do, can be informative regarding your your heart health. Levels of high sensitivity CRP over 2.0 milligrams per liter indicates high risk of heart disease.

3. Lipoprotein (a)

Lipoprotein (a) is a type of LDL, levels of which are not affected by your genes but rather by your lifestyle. High levels of lipoprotein (a) are associated with a higher risk of heart disease, though the relationship is not entirely clear. You may or may not be asked to undergo this test. High lipoprotein (a) levels are often associated with a family history of heart disease.

4. Plasma ceramides

Ceramides are compounds present in the blood and produced by cells. High ceramide levels are associated with atherosclerosis and heart disease. Three specific types of ceramides are linked to plaque development. Additionally, high levels of ceramides have been shown to be associated with the development of heart disease in one to five years.

5. Natriuretic peptides

Your heart and blood vessels make a type of compound called the brain natriuretic peptide, also known as B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP). When your heart endures damage, such as through a heart attack, high levels of BNP are secreted into your blood in order to ease the strain that is placed on your heart. Measuring BNP levels can help diagnose and evaluate heart failure (as well as other heart conditions) in patients with heart disease. If you suffer from shortness of breath, BNP can help figure out whether this symptom is due to heart failure. Additionally, determining your normal or baseline BNP can help evaluate how useful your treatment is by monitoring levels of BNP.