Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States and coronary artery disease (CAD) is the most common form of heart disease. The coronary arteries carry life-sustaining oxygen to the heart muscle. If plaque build-up, plaque rupture, or a clot blocks the coronary arteries, the heart muscle does not get enough oxygen and is unable to function correctly. Robbing the heart muscle of oxygen for even a brief period of time will result in the death of some of the heart muscle tissue (otherwise known as a heart attack) or potentially cause an arrhythmia which can lead to sudden death.

Traditionally, risk of developing CAD has been assessed with a standard calculation of LDL (low-density lipoprotein) and measurement of HDL (high-density lipoprotein) quantity. However, only 50% of coronary artery disease is associated with high cholesterol or any of six additional classic risk factors: advanced age, male gender, positive family history of premature heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and smoking. Obviously, today's routine cholesterol tests are failing to identify the vast majority of people at risk for heart attacks. In fact, a recently published study showed a surprising number of people with low LDL cholesterol levels still developed heart disease. Looking at good and bad cholesterol calculations simply is not enough.

Fortunately, there is more that can be done than simply measuring HDL and LDL levels. Berkeley HeartLab helps clinicians create a comprehensive and personalized plan for each individual, assessing a variety of risk markers as well as environmental, genetic, and lifestyle factors that may contribute to heart disease progression. With this additional information, health care providers are able to make more defined decisions regarding treatment options. Our mission at Berkeley HeartLab is the prevention of heart disease progression and ultimately, improving quality of life.