Everyone who knows Dr. Jon has been in total shock to learn he needed double-bypass heart surgery. We’ve had a lot of people ask how this could happen to someone who lives such a healthy lifestyle, and many of you are wondering what you can do to protect your own hearts.
First, please don’t panic about your heart health. The best thing you can do is get to know your cholesterol numbers and keep an eye on your risk over time. Eating well, staying active, and making healthy choices are still your best defense as you get older.
However, standard cholesterol tests don’t always tell the whole story. A regular test measures the total weight of your cholesterol, but it doesn’t tell you how many actual particles are carrying that cholesterol through your blood—or how likely those particles are to damage your arteries. Think of it like traffic: traditional tests tell you the total weight of the cargo on the road, but not how many delivery trucks are actually driving around causing wear and tear.
Determining Risk
While a basic yearly cholesterol test is a great start, a set of advanced heart tests gives us a much clearer, more accurate picture of your actual risk:
- ApoB & LDL Particle Count (LDL-P): Counts the exact number of “bad” cholesterol trucks in your blood. A high count is a much stronger warning sign for clogged arteries than standard cholesterol numbers.
- HDL Subfractions: Checks the size and balance of your “good” cholesterol particles.
- Lp(a): A specific, highly genetic type of cholesterol that raises your heart risk regardless of how healthy your lifestyle is. Men should get this checked at least once in their life. Women need it checked more often, especially around perimenopause and menopause when changing hormone levels impact cholesterol.
- VLDL & Remnants: Measures specific particles linked to high triglycerides and metabolic issues.
- Inflammatory Markers (hs-CRP, Lp-PLA2): Checks for inflammation in your body, which makes your artery walls more easily damaged and prone to plaque buildup.
If these advanced tests show you might be at risk, we can order a Coronary Calcium Scan (CAC) to see if any hard plaque has actually built up in your heart. It’s a fast, low-radiation X-ray scan that gives you a score from 0 to over 400—the lower the score, the cleaner your arteries.
Together, the advanced blood test and the scan give us a clear roadmap to protect your heart. A calcium scan costs around $100 (and is often covered by insurance), while the advanced blood test is about $140 out-of-pocket (and requires a quick fast before the blood draw). It’s a small investment for complete peace of mind!
Come see me at Valeo. We’ll talk through your concerns, map out your personalized risk, and create a manageable plan to keep your heart healthy for years to come.
In good health,
Breeanna McCarthy, AGPCNP-BC, FMCP-M
