• E-mail
• Print
• Comment
• Font Size
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Discuss article

Atherotech Announces Addition of ApoAI Heart Disease, Diabetes Risk Marker to VAP(R) Test

Posted on: Tuesday, 10 March 2009, 10:00 CDT

ApoAI and apoB/apoAI ratio now available with VAP Cholesterol Test at no additional cost

BIRMINGHAM, Ala., March 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Atherotech, Inc., a cardio-diagnostic company, today announced the addition of apolipoprotein A (apoAI) to its VAP(R) Cholesterol Test. The VAP (Vertical Auto Profile) Test is the only single cholesterol test that routinely reports apoAI, apoB, and the apoB/apoAI ratio.

With the addition of this new marker, the VAP Test now reports apoAI and the apoB/apoAI ratio, increasing its clinical utility in the assessment of risk for heart disease, diabetes and other cardiovascular diseases. The new, clinically validated heart disease risk marker is included with the VAP Cholesterol Test at no added cost.

"The new ratio gives physicians and their patients a single, easy-to-understand number that shows the balance between good and bad cholesterol particles and helps determine whether a person's 'high HDL' is really protective," said Atherotech Chief Medical Officer James Ehrlich, M.D. "Numerous large, prospective studies, including INTERHEART and the AMORIS trials, have clearly shown that the apoB/apoAI ratio is superior to all other cardiovascular disease risk marker ratios."

ApoAI is the main protein component of protective HDL cholesterol while apolipoprotein BI00 (apoB) particles are the main component of atherogenic (bad) LDL cholesterol. In general, the lower the apoB/apoAI value, the lower your risk for heart disease. A ratio of 1 to 2 is considered low risk, while a ratio approaching 1 to 1 would be considered high risk, and anything over that -- where the small LDL particles would dominate -- would be very high risk.

ApoAI and Diabetes

The apoB/apoAI ratio is significantly higher in people with metabolic syndrome, which is present in nearly a quarter of the U.S. population and is a precursor to diabetes. In the Collaborative Atorvastatin Diabetes (CARDS) study of diabetic patients, the apoB/apoAI ratio predicted cardiovascular disease and coronary heart disease events and total mortality better than other lipoprotein variables. The apoB/apoAI ratio is also an independent predictor of insulin resistance in non-diabetic subjects.

People with a family history or an existing condition of diabetes, high blood pressure or heart disease - or who are already taking cholesterol-lowering medication - are candidates for the comprehensive VAP Test. In addition, those who don't score within the desirable ranges of the standard cholesterol test (i.e. those with Triglycerides > 150, HDL < 40, LDL > 130, Total Cholesterol > 200) should also opt for the more detailed VAP Test.

The VAP Test reports 20 separate components of blood cholesterol as opposed to four in a standard cholesterol test. It can identify a far greater number of lipid abnormalities (the #1 risk factor for heart disease) than the standard cholesterol test. The VAP Test also identifies markers for metabolic syndrome, a precursor for diabetes.

The VAP Test is available nationwide and covered by most insurance providers, including Medicare and Medicaid. For more information call 877.901.8510 or visit www.thevaptest.com.

About Atherotech, Inc.

Atherotech is a cardio-diagnostic company focusing on cardiometabolic tests, including the company's patented VAP Cholesterol Test, which reports the cholesterol content of all lipids, components and subclasses. The VAP Test is the first cholesterol profile to comply with updated National Cholesterol Education Program ATP III recommendations for direct LDL measurement, which is accurate with non-fasting samples. It is the only advanced lipid profile that routinely reports all three lipoprotein parameters considered necessary by the American Diabetes Association and American College of Cardiology expert consensus guidelines. The VAP Test is available through national and regional diagnostic laboratories and is reimbursed by many of the largest private insurers as well as Medicare. For more information, visit www.thevaptest.com.

SOURCE Atherotech, Inc.

Source: PR Newswire

More News in this Category