Go beyond a standard cholesterol profile and get an even deeper understanding of your heart health. Featuring apolipoprotein A1 and B, as well as an ApoB:ApoA1 ratio, this test offers more insights into your cardiovascular risk and can help guide lifestyle changes or treatments.
Go beyond the numbers
Get ready to elevate your health understanding with a personalised doctor's report. Go beyond results and tap into expert insights tailored just for you.
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How it works
You have the flexibility to choose what works best for you. Enjoy the comfort of having a friendly nurse visit your home for a quick blood draw, opt for a convenient visit to one of our nationwide partner clinics, or self-arrange a draw at a location that suits you.
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Track, improve, and monitor your health over time.
MyMedichecks is your personal online dashboard where you can view your results, access clear and simple explanations about individual health markers, monitor changes in your health, and securely store information about your medical history, lifestyle and vital statistics.
What's in the test?
Cholesterol status
Total cholesterol
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LDL cholesterol
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Non-HDL cholesterol
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HDL cholesterol
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Total cholesterol : HDL
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Triglycerides
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Apolipoprotein A1
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A low ApoA1 level, especially with a raised ApoB result, is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. ApoA1, alongside other risk factors, can help to build a picture of your overall cardiovascular risk and likelihood of heart attack and stroke in later years.
Apolipoprotein B
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ApoB plays a crucial role in transporting lipids (fats) around the body, but too much ApoB is linked to conditions like atherosclerosis, heart attacks, and strokes, which can affect your lifespan and your quality of life in later years.
Apo B : apo A ratio
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A higher ratio is linked to an increased risk of heart attacks, vascular disease, and stroke, all of which can impact not just how long you live, but how many years you spend in good health.
How to prepare for your test
Prepare for your Apolipoprotein Profile Blood Test by following these instructions. Do not eat or drink anything other than water for 12 hours prior to your test. If you take medication then you are allowed to take it as you would normally.
Test limitations
Reviews
FAQs
What can I learn from an apolipoprotein blood test?
By measuring the levels of apolipoproteins in your blood, our test can give you a clearer picture of your risk of cardiovascular (heart and blood vessel) disease.
Traditionally, bad cholesterol levels have been used to assess heart disease risk. However, standard cholesterol tests may miss the build-up of small, dense particles of bad cholesterol in your blood. And as these particles are thought to significantly add to your heart disease risk, conventional cholesterol tests could underestimate your risk.
As each bad cholesterol particle, regardless of size or density, carries one apoB molecule, an apoB check can better reflect the number of potentially damaging particles in your blood. Coupling your apoB level with your protective apoA1 level in a ratio can also help determine your risk of heart disease.
Our test also checks standard markers for heart disease risk, including your levels of bad cholesterol. And if your apoB level is high, you will usually have similarly high levels of bad cholesterol. However, research has shown that if cholesterol and apoB results don’t agree with each other, apoB is the more accurate of the two at estimating your heart disease risk.
What causes a high apoB blood test result?
There are many reasons why your apoB level might be raised. These include lifestyle factors, such as a high-fat diet, being overweight, and a leading a sedentary lifestyle.
High levels of apoB can also be caused by underlying health conditions such as diabetes, an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism), and chronic kidney disease (CKD).
Other reasons include being pregnant, which can temporarily cause a high apoB level, and some genetic disorders. The use of drugs like beta blockers and diuretics can also affect your apoB level.
What are apolipoproteins?
Apolipoproteins are proteins that help carry fats, such as cholesterol and triglycerides, around your body for use in your tissues and cells.
There are various forms of apolipoproteins, and they play a vital role in balancing the levels of good and bad cholesterol in your body. Apolipoprotein A1 (or apoA1) forms part of good (HDL) cholesterol and helps remove excess cholesterol from your body. In contrast, apolipoprotein B (or apoB) combines with fats to form bad (non-HDL) cholesterol and encourages this to be taken up by your cells.
Too much bad cholesterol can cause fatty deposits (plaques) to form in your arteries. This process is known as atherosclerosis, a condition where the arteries narrow, reducing blood flow, and increasing your risk of heart disease or stroke.
What is a normal apoB blood test result?
What happens if my apoB test result is high?
Having a high apoB level doesn’t cause any obvious symptoms. Most people with high apoB levels don’t find out they have it until they develop a serious health condition, such as a heart attack or stroke.
As you can have a high apoB level without knowing, you may wish to monitor your level or repeat your apolipoprotein test following lifestyle changes. Alternatively, your doctor may advise monitoring your cholesterol levels.
What can I do to lower my apoB level?
Making changes to your lifestyle such as taking regular exercise and following a heart-healthy diet, such as the Mediterranean diet, can help to lower your apoB level. And this can help decrease your risk of heart disease.
Controlling any underlying medical conditions that could contribute to a raised apoB level, such as diabetes and hypothyroidism, can also help to get your level into the normal range.
In some cases, you may be prescribed medication. Your GP will be able to offer advice and guidance if your apoB level is outside the normal range.
What does a low apoB test result mean?
A low apoB test result could be due to an underlying health condition such as an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism) or advanced liver disease. Malnutrition, severe illness, or medications (like thyroxine or statins) can also contribute to lower levels of apoB. Very rarely, genetic conditions, such as apolipoprotein B deficiency or Bassen-Kornzweig syndrome, may cause abnormally low levels of apoB.