Diagnosing Heart Disease

Laboratory tests to diagnose heart diseaseThe main lab tests used to evaluate you for heart disease are run on blood samples drawn from a vein in your arm. The blood samples may also be used to evaluate other bodily systems that canaffect your cardiovascular (heart and blood vessel) health. Some tests require you to fast for 12 hours before providing a blood sample, but most don’t have any dietary restrictionsSome of these tests are non-invasive, which means no instruments are inserted into the body. Other tests are invasive and require inserting instruments into the body. Blood tests for heart diseaseYour doctor may request some or all the following blood tests to check for heart disease. Lipid profile. A lipid profile measures your low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, triglycerides and total cholesterol. Abnormal levels can elevate the risk of heart disease.Lipoprotein (a), or Lp (a). Lipoproteins are molecules that carry cholesterol...