ApoB
How many cholesterol-carrying particles are circulating?
A GUIDE TO HEART HEALTH
Get to know
your heart.
Heart disease runs in your family? Understand which blood tests and heart scans are worth discussing, what they can tell you, and what they cost.
Explore a test
THE TEST DIRECTORY
Find the test that
answers your question.
Lp(a)
Is there an inherited risk your usual labs miss?
Lipid panel
Start with the standard cholesterol numbers.
hs-CRP
Add context about inflammation.
LDL particle testing
Understand particle count versus particle size.
CAC scan
See whether calcified plaque is detectable.
CCTA angiogram
See coronary anatomy, plaque and narrowing.
THE FIRST CONVERSATION
Heart disease in your family?
Bring the age and diagnosis of relatives who were affected, plus any recent cholesterol and blood pressure results. That gives your clinician a starting point for discussing what to check next.
Read the family history guideTHE READING ROOM
Make sense of
the results.
Practical guides shaped by questions from the r/Cholesterol community and grounded in clinical sources.
Browse all guides →Heart disease in your familyWhere to start after an early heart attack in the familyHigh Lp(a): what now?What to ask after a high lipoprotein(a) resultEating to lower LDLPractical changes for heart-healthy eatingWhat a CAC score of zero meansHow to read a zero coronary calcium scoreCAC vs. CCTAWhich question does each heart scan answer?
COMMON QUESTIONS
Before you book.
My dad had a heart attack at 52. Where should I start?
It is a starting point. Ask about a one-time Lp(a) test and whether ApoB would add information. Bring recent blood pressure readings and ask how your overall risk affects treatment decisions.
What can a calcium score of zero tell me?
It means no coronary calcium was detected. Noncalcified plaque can still be present. Age, family history, symptoms and other risk factors still matter.
Does everyone need an Lp(a) test?
Lipoprotein(a), or Lp(a), is a largely inherited cholesterol-carrying particle. The 2026 ACC/AHA guideline recommends measuring Lp(a) at least once in adulthood.
What is the difference between CAC and CCTA?
A CAC scan measures calcified plaque without contrast. CCTA uses contrast to show coronary anatomy, including narrowing and some noncalcified plaque. Each test answers a different clinical question.