These 5 blood tests can tell you if a heart attack is coming in your future — get them done before it happens. Prevention is better than cure.
Test 1 — HbA1c (Glycated Hemoglobin)
HbA1c is glycated hemoglobin — it tells you what percentage of sugar is coating your red blood cells. Sugar blocks your blood vessels. Very few people tell you this because most don’t know the mechanism. If HbA1c is high, inflammation increases inside the body, water retention increases, and Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs) start building up inside your arteries and capillaries. The endothelium — the internal lining of the artery called the intima — starts getting damaged. This is what leads to cardiovascular disease, coronary artery disease, and atherosclerosis.
Test 2 — ApoB (Apolipoprotein B)
ApoB tells you the total number of atherogenic particles in your blood — meaning the particles that are actively damaging your arteries. It tells you the total LDL particle count and whether your LDL is the good kind or the bad kind. If ApoB is low, the LDL that people call “bad” isn’t actually bad — it depends on particle size. Large particle size means it’s fine. Small particle size means oxidative stress is acting on it and that is the dangerous kind.
Test 3 — Vitamin B12 and Homocysteine
This one is even more interesting. If your Vitamin B12 is between 200 and 300, there is a problem. If your homocysteine is 15 or 20, there is a problem — and the higher it goes, the bigger the problem. Homocysteine damages your arteries. If arteries keep getting damaged, a heart attack will slowly start building up.
Test 4 — Lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)]
This test should be done by everyone in the world — the biggest medical colleges globally, including those ranked like Harvard, are recommending it. Lipoprotein(a) — Lp(a) — is a small but extremely sticky particle. 20% of Indians have Lp(a) above 30. It sticks more than triglycerides. It sticks more than LDL. If your Lp(a) is above 30, visit a cardiologist immediately. If it’s low, there is nothing to worry about.
Test 5 — Triglyceride to HDL Ratio
This last one is simple — just look at your LDL and your triglycerides. Calculate the Triglyceride to HDL ratio. If that ratio is less than 2, you are in good shape. If that ratio is more than 2, it indicates fatty liver, and your arteries will slowly start to clog.