The PLAC blood test is a useful tool to determine a patient’s future risk for coronary heart disease, also known as CHD. It is used for individuals who do not have a history of cardiac events occurring so that a heart attack or other disease risk factor doesn’t remain a silent risk. Because this test is relatively new, here are some answers to some common questions people ask their doctors when this test is recommended.
Q: Does The PLAC Blood Test Determine My Risks For a Heart Attack?
Medical providers will use the test results and combine them with a personal medical history to determine the risk factors for a future cardiac event. Certain health issues, such as high blood pressure, a genetic history of heart disease, being overweight, or having high cholesterol levels may all add risks to the development of CHD.
There is no question that determining the risks of CHD in patients has long been a challenge for the medical community. Half of all heart attacks occur when someone has a normal level of LDL cholesterol. The PLAC blood test helps to manage the hazard ratios more effectively.
Q: What If My Cholesterol Levels Are Normal, But My PLAC Blood Test Results Are Positive?
If it possible to develop coronary heart disease with normal cholesterol numbers. About 1 in 4 people who suffer a heart attack actually have LDL numbers that are below 70. Although cholesterol levels should be controlled to help protect the heart, it is important to note that cholesterol alone is not a deciding risk factor for the development of serious health issues.
Q: What Do The PLAC Blood Test Results Mean?
The key number on the PLAC blood test results is 225. Anything that is below this number is an indication that there are not any additional risk factors for CHD development. Anything above this number indicates that there is a higher overall future risk of disease development. In men, there is about an 8% increase in risk over the next 5 years when no coronary events have been charted, while women have a 2x increase in relative risk.
Under a study of over 4,500 matches patients, the test results from the PLAC blood test were the third best hazard ratio to determine risk behind being diabetic or a current smoker. It is even a better measurement than the presence of high blood pressure or cholesterol LDL/HDL comparison ratios.
Q: What Does The PLAC Blood Test Actually Detect?
This test is used to determine the activity levels of an enzyme that can be found in the blood. This enzyme, which is called Lp-PLA2, is known to cause higher levels of inflammation within all blood vessels and contribute to plaque formation within the arteries. It is marker specific, which means it will not be present unless there are the signs and symptoms of CHD happening, even if they have not yet been felt. A highly elevated positive result on the PLAC blood test.
Q: Why Is The PLAC Blood Test Different?
Most blood tests to determine heart health are reactive in design. That means a coronary event must occur for a medical provider to begin ordering tests. The PLAC blood test, however, is used as a proactive screening tool to determine the risks of an individual without any specific health emergencies being present. It isn’t part of a routine testing, like lipid panels and other cholesterol tests tend to be, but can help to determine if further cholesterol management may be important in the future.
Q: Does My Medical Provider Offer The PLAC Blood Test?
This FDA approved blood test is relatively new, so not every medical provider is offering it as of yet. For those who do have an order for the test, the blood draw may be sent to a laboratory, creating a 3-5 business day wait for test results to be received. Although several insurance plans do cover this blood test and others will recompense individuals, it does not have 100% coverage.
The goal of the PLAC blood test is to help people be able to better understand their risks of a sudden heart attack or stroke occurring. Lipid panels have generally been used for this in the past, but now this test provides a more accurate proactive result. Only a medical provider familiar with a personal medical history can know if this blood test may benefit someone, so be sure to speak with your doctor today about the PLAC blood test.