Five Heart-Risk Blood Tests You Can Order Without a Doctor

Full analysis

Dr. Philip Snider outlines five tests that together paint a broader picture of cardiovascular risk. Four are blood tests you can order online and have drawn at a LabCorp facility or a participating grocery store without a physician's referral: C-reactive protein (a measure of overall body inflammation), interleukin-6 (another inflammation marker), myeloperoxidase (measures oxidative stress and can indicate unstable arterial plaque), and lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2, or Lp-PLA2 (an enzyme released when unstable plaques are present — higher levels suggest more caution and possibly further testing). The fifth, coronary artery calcium scoring, requires an imaging center. Dr. Snider noted that hemoglobin A1C (a three-month average of blood sugar) and blood pressure are also important to track alongside these. He recommends reviewing results with a primary care provider to weigh them in the context of your full health picture rather than acting on any single number in isolation.