Low-density Lipoprotein Particle Number (LDL-P)

NMR LDL-P is a management tool used in appropriate high-risk patients (type 2 diabetes mellitus, metabolic syndrome, CVD risk equivalent, statin-treated patients) to adjudicate response to treatment and guide adjustment in therapy. It is used in conjunction with other lipid measurements and clinical evaluation to aid in the management of lipoprotein disorders associated with cardiovascular disease.

The NMR LipoProfile® test is an FDA-cleared blood test that directly measures the amount of LDL circulating in the body. “LDL” is low-density lipoprotein and has long been recognized as a major causal factor in the development of heart disease. Although the relationship of increased LDL particle number and plaque buildup in the artery wall has been known since the 1950s, a diagnostic test did not exist to measure LDL particle number (LDL-P). Historically, LDL cholesterol, or LDL-C, has been used to estimate LDL levels to assess a patient’s LDL-related cardiovascular risk and judge an individual’s response to LDL-lowering therapy. Today, a more reliable measure of LDL exists that directly counts the number of LDL particles a patient has using NMR technology.

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