Heart health tests
Cholesterol, blood sugar and the newer risk markers, read together by a doctor.
Prices include collection for one test. Collection is charged once per order.
Home kit or clinic?9 tests · Lab timings start on sample receipt
Advanced Heart Health
Everything in the Heart & Sugar Plus panel, plus thyroid function, lipoprotein(a), apolipoprotein A1 and B, coenzyme Q10 and troponin T.
- Clinic
- 10+ working days
- 11 tests included
Apolipoprotein B Test
Apolipoprotein B, a count of the cholesterol-carrying particles that can lodge in an artery wall.
- Home kit
- 2 to 3 working days
- 1 marker measured
D-Dimer Test
D-Dimer, a protein fragment released into the blood when a blood clot is being broken down.
- Clinic
- 1 to 2 working days
- 1 marker measured
Heart & Sugar Check
Cholesterol breakdown and a three-month blood sugar average (HbA1c) with fasting glucose, in one clinic sample.
- Clinic
- 1 to 2 working days
- 2 tests included
Heart & Sugar Plus
Cholesterol, high-sensitivity CRP (an inflammation marker linked to heart risk), HbA1c blood sugar, liver function and kidney function in one panel.
- Clinic
- 1 to 2 working days
- 5 tests included
Lipoprotein(a) Test
Lipoprotein(a), an inherited cholesterol particle that a standard cholesterol test never shows.
- Home kit
- 1 to 2 working days
- 1 marker measured
Lp-PLA2 (PLAC) Test
Lp-PLA2 (the PLAC test), an enzyme linked to inflammation in the artery wall.
- Home kit
- 1 to 2 working days
- 1 marker measured
NT-proBNP Heart Strain Test
NT-proBNP, a marker released by the heart when it is under strain.
- Clinic
- 1 to 2 working days
- 1 marker measured
Troponin Test
Troponin I, a protein released into the blood when heart muscle is damaged.
- Clinic
- 1 to 2 working days
- 1 marker measured
Choosing a heart health test
Many heart attacks and strokes are linked to risk factors that can be measured and changed years in advance: cholesterol, blood sugar, blood pressure, inflammation and, for some people, inherited markers such as lipoprotein(a). These panels measure the blood side of that picture.
The Heart & Sugar Check is the sensible first test: the full cholesterol breakdown and HbA1c from one sample. Heart & Sugar Plus adds hs-CRP and liver and kidney function, and the Advanced Heart Health panel adds lipoprotein(a), a largely genetic marker that a standard cholesterol test never shows, along with apolipoprotein B. Troponin, NT-proBNP and D-dimer are clinician-requested tests for specific questions, not general checks, and none of them is a substitute for calling 999 with chest pain.
- First check: Heart & SugarTotal, HDL, LDL and non-HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, HbA1c and fasting glucose. Enough for a doctor to place you against UK targets.
- Family history: add apoB and Lp(a)Two people can have the same LDL and very different risk. apoB counts the particles that lodge in artery walls; lipoprotein(a) is inherited and only needs measuring once.
- Symptoms: talk to a GP firstBreathlessness, swollen ankles or chest tightness need an examination. NT-proBNP and troponin are tests a clinician uses within that assessment, not instead of it.
- Fast before cholesterolEight to twelve hours without food so triglycerides and glucose read true. Water is fine.
Before you buy
What is a normal cholesterol level?
The laboratory prints its reference range with each result. As a general guide, the NHS describes total cholesterol below 5 mmol/L and non-HDL cholesterol below 4 mmol/L as healthy for most adults; targets can be lower after a heart event or with diabetes. The doctor explains where you sit.
Is a finger-prick cholesterol test accurate?
For total, HDL and non-HDL cholesterol, yes, when the sample is taken well. Triglycerides and the wider chemistry are more reliable from a clinic draw, which is why some heart panels are clinic only.
Why measure lipoprotein(a) only once?
It is set by your genes and barely changes through life. One measurement tells a doctor whether it should factor into your risk for good.
Should I test if I already take a statin?
It can help you and your GP see whether the dose is doing enough. The doctor reads your results against the targets that apply to someone on treatment.
Every result is reviewed by a GMC-registered doctor before release. Read more about how it works.