Cardiovascular Health: Beyond Cholesterol with MetBalance
When we talk about cardiovascular health, the first parameters that usually come to mind are total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol (known as “bad cholesterol”), or HDL cholesterol (“good cholesterol”). However, the reality is much more complex.
Advanced characterization through nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) allows us to go beyond traditional values to obtain a much more precise view of cardiovascular risk.
In the Cardiovascular Health section of MetBalance, we combine basic clinical parameters with advanced and exclusive biomarkers, providing a comprehensive assessment of lipid metabolism.
Basic Parameters: The Classics of Cardiovascular Health
Conventional tests measure a series of fundamental parameters for evaluating cardiovascular risk:
✅ Total cholesterol: The sum of all cholesterol fractions in the blood.
✅ Triglycerides: A form of energy storage that, in excess, may be associated with increased cardiovascular risk.
✅ LDL cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein): Transports cholesterol to the cells, but when elevated, it can accumulate in the arteries.
✅ HDL cholesterol (high-density lipoprotein): Helps remove excess cholesterol from the blood, reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.
✅ Remnant cholesterol: The cholesterol fraction contained in triglyceride-rich particles (VLDL and IDL), increasingly recognized for its link to atherogenic risk.
Although these parameters remain key in clinical evaluation, we know that cardiovascular risk does not only depend on cholesterol levels but also on the structure and functionality of the particles that transport it.
Advanced Lipoprotein Profile Biomarkers
NMR analysis allows us to deeply characterize the lipid profile and provide unique information:
🔬 % of VLDL particles: Very low-density lipoproteins (VLDL) transport triglycerides in the blood. Their concentration and size may be related to the development of insulin resistance and cardiovascular disease risk.
🔬 % of LDL particles: Not all LDL particles are the same. Beyond the cholesterol they contain, the quantity and distribution of these particles is a key factor in atherogenic risk. A higher percentage of small, dense LDL particles is associated with increased cardiovascular risk.
🔬 HDL functionality (HDL-TG/HDL-C): Traditionally, HDL cholesterol has been considered protective, but recent studies have shown that its functionality is more important than its quantity. The HDL-TG/HDL-C ratio is an advanced biomarker that evaluates HDL efficiency in reverse cholesterol transport—its ability to remove cholesterol from the arteries and deliver it to the liver for elimination.
Why Is This Advanced Evaluation Important?
Studies have shown that two people with the same LDL cholesterol level can have vastly different cardiovascular risks depending on the number and type of LDL particles they have. The same applies to HDL cholesterol: having high levels is not enough; it must be functional.
Thanks to MetBalance, we can analyze these advanced biomarkers and provide a much more precise and personalized assessment of cardiovascular health.
A Comprehensive and Personalized Approach
MetBalance not only measures the classic parameters of lipid metabolism but also offers a deep and detailed view through NMR technology, enabling cardiovascular risk assessment based on advanced data.
With MetBalance, you can learn much more than just your cholesterol levels—you can truly understand how your lipid metabolism works and what steps to take to improve your cardiovascular health.