A study recently published in the American Heart Association’s (AHA) journal, Circulation, suggested there is an unequal impact of cardiovascular disease (CVD) on race and gender. Researchers from Women’s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts studied data from 13,541 people in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study. Participants attended examinations during four periods (1987-89, 1990-92, 1993-95 or 1996-98) when they were 52-66 years old and free of CVD. Researchers examined population attributable risk (PAR) changes for five major cardiovascular risk factors — high cholesterol, smoking, high blood pressure, obesity, and diabetes. The PAR measures how common a risk factor is and how much the factor raises the chance of future cardiovascular disease.

These results highlight that African Americans and women are the demographic populations most prominently impacted by CVD risk factors. The study results highlight the ongoing need for targeted as well as population-based approaches to risk factor modifications in order to reduce the overall risk for heart and vascular disease, researchers said.

The VAP+ Lipid Panel® provides patients with a comprehensive lipid analysis in order to identify their risk for CVD. Knowing your risk is the first step in preventing hard coronary events. Interestingly, the Jackson Heart Study – the largest investigation to date of causes of cardiovascular disease in an African American population – found increased levels of triglyceride rich remnant lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL3, IDL) measured with the VAP+ Lipid Panel® were a significant, independent predictor of heart attack events among participants in multivariate analysis.  These findings show the value of comprehensive lipid testing in specific patient populations to provide valuable information not captured by the basic lipid panel.

To learn more about the VAP+®, visit Atherotech.com.  To learn more about this study, visit: http://newsroom.heart.org/news/blacks-women-face-greater-burden-from-cvd-risk-factors?preview=2c70