- A new study suggests that using apolipoprotein B (apoB) testing is more effective than standard LDL cholesterol testing for determining who needs intensified cholesterol-lowering therapy to prevent heart attacks and strokes.
- Researchers created a computer model comparing three cholesterol testing strategies (LDL, non-HDL, and apoB) and found that apoB-guided treatment consistently performed better, improving health outcomes and being cost-effective for the U.S. healthcare system.
- ApoB measures the total number of harmful cholesterol-carrying particles in the blood, which is a more direct indicator of cardiovascular risk than traditional tests, despite requiring an additional blood test and being less commonly used in routine care.
- The findings are timely, as updated guidelines recommend earlier initiation of cholesterol-lowering therapy, making accurate identification of high-risk individuals increasingly important.
- The study, published in JAMA, supports the adoption of apoB testing as a superior method for primary prevention of heart disease, which remains the leading cause of death in the United States.