DNA Cardiovascular Health Test

Cardiovascular disease refers a large spectrum of disorders, many of which involve narrowed or blocked blood vessels, leading to chest pain (angina), heart attacks and strokes. Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death (over 30% of all deaths worldwide). The elderly are the most at risk of cardiovascular complications and the average age of onset is around 80 years in the developed world.  

Factors that affect your cardiovascular health:

• Smoking
• Lack of physical activity 
• Obesity
• Hypertension
• High cholesterol intake
• Diabetes
• Excessive alcohol consumption
• Stress
• Genetic variation

These lifestyle and genetic factors can lead to abnormal levels of cholesterol, triglycerides, C-reactive protein and lipoproteins in the body, resulting in a greatly increased risk of life-threatening cardivascular diseases.

• Cholesterol is a fat-like substance that is produced in our body and obtained from some foods. It is transported around the body in two kinds of lipoproteins - HDL and LDL. Reduced levels of “good” HDL-cholesterol or excess levels of “bad” LDL-cholesterol lead to cholesterol accumulation in the arteries, resulting in narrowed or blocked blood vessels.
• Triglycerides are obtained from the digestion and breakdown of fats in food and making up the majority of fat deposits in the body. Excess triglycerides contribute to obesity and heart disease.
• C-reactive protein (CRP) is a substance produced by the liver that increases during an inflammatory response. Elevated CRP levels can lead to heart disease. 
• Lipoprotein(a) is a type of lipoprotein similar to “bad” LDL. It is rich in cholesterol and excess levels increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.