SpectraCell Receives Patent on its LPP Cardiovascular Test

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Houston, TX - February 7, 2011. ?SpectraCell Laboratories has recently been awarded a patent on their Lipoprotein Particle Profile ? (LPP ?) test which is used to measure cardiovascular risk. ? The LPP ? has been commercially available since 2006, and is a type of advanced cholesterol test that measures lipoprotein subgroups. ? The LPP ? gives more accurate estimation of cardiovascular risk compared to a routine cholesterol test. ?
The patent was awarded for use of a ?Method for Analyzing Blood for Lipoprotein Components. ? Specifically, the LPP ? test utilizes a patented analytical ultracentrifugation method for separating lipoprotein subclasses. This separation method for LPP ? originated at Texas A & M University and was further developed by Dr. Jan Troup, the inventor of LPP ? technology, who is also a member of SpectraCell's scientific staff. ? ?
?The LPP ? generally doesn't cost the patient any more than a standard cholesterol test, but it gives the doctor much more relevant and accurate information. ? states Dr. Jan Troup, PhD, and Director of Lipid Science for SpectraCell Laboratories. ? ?Different lipoproteins respond differently to therapy, whether it is statins, fish oils or niacin, for example. ? The LPP ? enables the doctor to treat appropriately. ?
In recent years, the medical community has discovered that, beyond ?standard ? cholesterol tests, an independent factor for heart disease can be determined by measuring the density and number of lipoprotein particles, to which cholesterol is attached. ? Patients with a normal cholesterol value, but abnormal particle sizes or numbers, can be at serious risk for cardiovascular disease. ?
In fact, The National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) acknowledges that 50% of people that have heart attacks have ?normal ? cholesterol - that is, cholesterol below 200 mg/dL. NCEP recognizes four risk factors that are not measured with routine cholesterol testing but are all measured by the LPP ? test:
1. ? ? ? ? ? ? RLP - (remnant lipoprotein) more easily converted into arterial plaque than other lipoproteins
2. ? ? ? ? ? ? Lp(a) - a ? dangerous lipoprotein that contributes to clot formation
3. ? ? ? ? ? ? HDL2b - a type of HDL that indicates how well cholesterol is being cleared from your system
4. ? ? ? ? ? ? Small, dense LDL - easily penetrates vascular wall, causing damage and plaque
The main reason to know NCEP risk factors are that specific lipoproteins respond to specific therapies very differently. The LPP ? is part of the trend toward more individualized medicine. The LPP test, which is done on a fasting blood sample, is usually covered by insurance. ? Results typically take 3-5 days. For more information, go to www.spectracell.com.
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About SpectraCell Laboratories - SpectraCell is a CLIA accredited laboratory that services healthcare providers nationwide by providing advanced clinical testing such as micronutrient testing, telomere analysis, Omega 3 Index ?and the Lipoprotein Particle Profile ? (LPP ?). SpectraCell's Lipoprotein Particle Profile ? is the most advanced lipoprotein test available. Unlike traditional cholesterol tests, SpectraCell's LPP ? directly measures both the size (density) and number of several classes of lipoprotein particles providing an accurate assessment of cardiovascular risk.
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