What is a heart disease blood test?

This test measures your blood sugar and the levels of cholesterol and lipids in your blood (total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, and triglycerides). These markers are all key indicators of heart disease risk, and can often be improved through lifestyle changes such as diet and exercise.

The test is a finger prick test that you can take from the comfort of your home. Afterwards, your sample will be examined by a certified laboratory and you will receive the test results within a matter of days.

Our Preventive Health Check self test from our General Health Tests category lets you not only check your HbA1c and your cholesterol, but also many other factors that can indicate your hearth-health.

What’s in the test kit?

The test kit contains instructions for use, lancets to collect a small blood sample, a blood collection tube, alcohol wipes, band-aids, a protective transport bag and a return envelope to send your sample to a certified laboratory.

What is the test process for this test?

Homed-IQ’s Heart Disease Blood Test comes with everything you need to successfully take a blood sample from home. Simply activate your test and follow the supplied instructions to collect the sample and then send it to our certified laboratory using the prepaid shipping label. The results will be available within a few days.

Blood Sugar level (HbA1C)

This test result gives an indication of your average blood sugar level over the past three months. HbA1C measures the percentage of blood sugar attached to hemoglobin, the blood protein that carries oxygen. The higher the percentage, the higher your blood sugar. A high blood sugar level can be an indicator for diabetes type 1 and diabetes type 2.

Cholesterol and Lipids

Cholesterol
Cholesterol is produced in the liver and is found in every cell of the body. There are two types of cholesterol: one in the form of HDL (high-density cholesterol) and LDL (low-density cholesterol). HDL is also referred to as the ‘good’ cholesterol and LDL is known as the ‘bad’ cholesterol. An elevated cholesterol level is defined as total cholesterol above 6.5 mmol / l.

HDL
High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL) is also known as the “good” cholesterol because it transports excess bad cholesterol to your liver to clear it. Higher HDL levels are associated with lower risk of heart attack and stroke. Lifestyle changes such as increasing exercise, quitting smoking, and improving one’s diet have been seen to increase HDL. Check out our article “What is HDL” to learn more about HDL.

LDL
Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL) transports cholesterol throughout the body, creating the risk that cholesterol builds up in the arteries and can cause cardiovascular disease. Elevated LDL can indicate increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

HDL% of total cholesterol
The percentage of total cholesterol refers to the amount of HDL (= “good” cholesterol) in the body that can fight the LDL (= “bad” cholesterol). The higher the percentage of total cholesterol is HDL, the better.

Triglycerides
Triglycerides are the most common types of fats in the body. Excess calories, alcohol and sugars are converted into triglycerides and stored in the body as fat. An elevated triglyceride level increases the risk of cardiovascular disease.

How soon will I receive my test results?

Once you have collected your sample and then mailed it to our laboratory, it generally takes a few working days before you receive the test result. As soon as your test sample arrives at the laboratory you will receive a notification by email. Once your test result is ready, you will receive a text message and an email from us with a link to your test result. We will therefore keep you well informed throughout the entire testing process!

What does the result of this test mean?
This test measures the Blood Sugar (HBA1C, HBA1L), Cholesterol, High-density lipoprotein (HDL), Low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and Triglycerides in your blood. Based on the test result, it can be determined whether abnormal levels present a heart disease or diabetes risk, and whether follow-up care is needed with a GP.

Symptoms of Heart Disease 

Heart disease in early stages often has few symptoms. You may not notice any symptoms until you are having a heart attack, angina, stroke, or heart failure. Symptoms can include:

• Chest pain, pressure, tightness, or discomfort
• Pain in the neck, jaw, abdomen, or back
• Shortness of breath
• Pain, numbness, coldness, or weakness in legs or arms

Risk factors for heart disease also have little to no symptoms, such as high cholesterol. Type II diabetes or prediabetes symptoms may include:

• Thirst
• Frequent urination
• Weight loss or gain
• Fatigue
• Sugar cravings
• Irritated easily
• Nausea
• Blurred vision