Medcan is the Only Clinic in Canada to Offer the Advanced Cholesterol Test (ACT)
It’s become common knowledge among the general population that elevated levels of Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL or “Bad”) Cholesterol are considered a primary cause of heart disease. Settling into the internal walls of arteries as plaques, cholesterol deposits contribute to atherosclerosis and cause hearts attacks and strokes. Research has clearly shown that the higher the cholesterol the higher the risk of heart disease.
But what may be surprising is the pervasiveness of high cholesterol. In fact, 32% of the clients Medcan saw last fall through our Comprehensive Health Assessment were identified as having high LDL Cholesterol. And even more surprising, over the last few decades, experts in cholesterol have recognized that 50% patients with coronary artery disease have “normal” cholesterols.
How Cholesterol Clogs Your Arteries
Most physicians and clinics use the standard cholesterol test (or “Total Cholesterol”), which is a routine but decades old test that includes measurements for HDL (high density lipoprotein or “good” cholesterol), LDL (low density lipoprotein or “bad” cholesterol) and triglycerides. Rather than measuring LDL directly, it is mathematically calculated, which lends to imprecision.
Over the last decade, Medcan has spearheaded more complex cholesterol testing through our Cardiovascular Risk Assessment, which is unavailable in the public system. Recognizing that better prognostic information is achievable, Medcan has been measuring apolipoprotein A, apolipoprotein B and the ratio of the two. We have also included a hs-CRP test to assess for inflammation, which can help predict a healthy person’s risk for cardiovascular disease. Our testing has identified patients at higher risk when routine cholesterol testing has failed to do so. Integrating blood tests beyond simply cholesterol, HDL, LDL and triglycerides into cardiovascular risk assessment has led to more aggressive management, and is a practice which is years ahead of the usual standard of care.
Today, an even more comprehensive assessment of cholesterol is available at Medcan which has been shown to detect 90% of heart disease patients.Recognizing that LDL and HDL come in various shapes and sizes, some more likely to cause disease than others, Medcan’s Advanced Cholesterol Test digs deeper by measuring more than a dozen of scientifically validated cholesterol tests, including measuring LDL directly. Unlike a standard cholesterol test that only looks at 4 components of blood cholesterol, ACT examines 18 separate components and analyzes the risk for heart disease, stroke and diabetes. ACT is also the only test that identifies the density of blood cholesterol; identifying the most dangerous forms. ACT results enable our physicians to customize treatment by matching a drug or combination of drugs with a patient’s cholesterol profile. It also allows our physicians to monitor progress and alter the treatment plan accordingly.
The Medcan Clinic is currently the only clinic in Canada to offer ACT. This test is done through a simple blood test. Once your blood is drawn it will be sent to a lab in the US. It is recommended for anyone who gets cholesterol testing, and can be purchased as an add-on to your Comprehensive Health Assessment.
To book your ACT please contact the Medcan bookings team at 416-350-5900 or email bookings@medcan.com.