Millions of Americans Find Hidden Risk of Heart Disease Through Atherotech’s VAP® Lipid Panel

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Like many Americans, 48-year-old Eddie Elmore ate on the run — and his body suffered because of it. The retired firefighter and current pastor said you wouldn’t look at him and think he was unhealthy or obese. But a more accurate look at his cholesterol numbers said otherwise.

“I was a heart attack waiting to happen,” the Birmingham resident said. “In the south, that’s what we do; every meeting I would have in the last decade was around a meal. I want to change that and have people realize that food is good, but certainly not worth dying for. You have to make a decision that you want to be healthy and understand your true risk.”

To classify Elmore’s risk of heart disease, his doctor used the VAP^® (Vertical Auto Profile) Lipid Panel from Atherotech Diagnostics Lab. The test measures important cholesterol components and hereditary indicators that reveal “residual” risk to accurately identify a patient’s cardiovascular risk, like in Elmore’s case. The basic lipid panel used previously failed to show his triglyceride-rich disorder, a precursor to insulin resistance and diabetes, which was uncovered with the VAP Lipid Panel.

Half of all people who have a cardiovascular event have “normal” cholesterol. That’s because the routine cholesterol test or basic lipid panel, which calculates rather than directly measures LDL and other cholesterol, is a poor estimation of risk. Independent research presented at the 2012 American College of Cardiology Scientific Sessions showed that of 1.3 million adults tested, the basic lipid panel wrongly classified up to 60 percent of patients with "normal" LDL levels.

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S. Every year approximately 785,000 Americans will have a first heart attack and 470,000 Americans who have already had a heart attack will have a second.

Atherotech’s VAP Lipid Panel identifies this hidden risk, saving millions of American lives from the burden of heart attack or stroke. To date, more than 8.2 million VAP Lipid Panels have been administered.

Upon seeing his VAP Lipid Panel, Elmore and his physician discussed the best method of treating his high lipid levels. Like others who use the VAP Lipid Panel, Elmore enrolled in Our Healthy Heart^TM. To help health care providers and patients attain the best possible outcomes, Atherotech offers the Our Healthy Heart Program, personalized lifestyle education and coaching at no additional charge. Medical Science Consultants, employees of Atherotech, are educational resources for providers in interpretation of VAP Lipid Panel results, lipoprotein physiology and pathophysiology, clinical implications and treatment options. Cardiovascular Risk Reduction Educators are registered dietitians who work directly as a personal “health coach” to patients.

“When I met Eddie, he was adamant he did not want a diet,” said Audrey Jowers, a Cardiovascular Risk Reduction Educator and manager of the Our Healthy Heart Program. “We focused on portion control and choosing healthier options for meals and snacks. Everything we talked about was very realistic for eating out or eating at home.”

Elmore found a balance by avoiding fried foods, “eating smart” and beginning to understand his new approach to food. He dropped over 30 pounds and even lost weight through the holidays. And now, his doctor couldn’t be more pleased.

“Eddie has embraced this new, healthy lifestyle and has made great progress through weight loss and improved lipid levels,” said Kimberly E. Wilson, CRNP, of North River Primary Care in Northport, Ala. “Due to his improved VAP, we were able to discontinue his cholesterol medications and let him manage his cardiovascular health through diet and exercise alone.”

“Being able to offer our patients nutritional counseling services through Our Healthy Heart allows us to provide a more comprehensive level of patient care as well as reinforce necessary lifestyle changes for optimal outcomes,” Wilson continued.

The VAP Lipid Panel is available nationwide and covered by most insurance providers, including Medicare and Medicaid. It has been featured on “The Suzanne Somers Show” and "The Doctors" TV show, recognized by Forbes.com as one of “Ten Ways to Live Longer” and lauded by the Wall Street Journal as one of “Five Tests Worth Paying For.”

For a better understanding of potential cholesterol dangers, patients are encouraged to ask their health care provider for a comprehensive lipid profile, such as the VAP Lipid Panel. For information on Atherotech Diagnostics Lab, visit www.Atherotech.com or call 877-901-8510. Health care professionals interested in real cases from the trenches of lipidology may visit www.CobblesCorner.com, Atherotech’s official blog. Atherotech is on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/Atherotech, on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/Atherotech, and broadcasting at www.YouTube.com/user/VAPatherotech.

About Atherotech Diagnostics Lab & the VAP Lipid Panel

Atherotech Diagnostics Lab is a leading clinical reference laboratory specializing in cardiometabolic testing and disease management solutions. Atherotech’s proprietary and comprehensive VAP^® Lipid Panel enables clinicians to accurately stratify a patient’s cardiovascular risk and deliver personalized treatment strategies to improve health outcomes. The Vertical Auto Profile (VAP) technology reveals residual cardiometabolic risk as recommended in the NCEP ATP III, ADA/ACC Joint Consensus and AACE guidelines. The VAP Lipid Panel utilizes direct measurement to identify cholesterol, triglyceride and genetic lipid disorders. The company’s dedication to affordable, comprehensive disease management solutions includes Our Healthy Heart^TM, a patient consultation program and expert lipid management education service to health care providers. For more information, please visit www.Atherotech.com or call 1-866-VAP-TEST.