The tests are usually ordered for patients prior to surgery to ensure normal clotting ability.  The PT and PTT Blood Tests are useful in the diagnosis of excessive, unexplained bleeding in patients who are not taking blood-thinning medications. These bleeding disorders include conditions such as nosebleeds, bruising, heavy menstrual periods, blood in the stool and/or urine, and bleeding gums, among others,

The Cardio IQ® Report provides an in-depth assessment of cardiovascular risks to help physicians recommend the ideal individualized treatment option for patient to minimize cardiovascular disease.

The report is simple, yet comprehensive. It is color-coded to display progressive risk values versus goal using “optimal,” “moderate,” and “high-risk” categories and grouped by functional categories.

Cardio IQ Advanced Lipid Panel The Cardio IQ Advanced Lipid Panel includes:Total Cholesterol, Triglycerides, HDL, LDL and Cholesterol/HDL ratio, LDL Particle Number, LDL Peak Size, LDL Pattern, HDL Large, LDL Small, LDL Medium, Apolipoprotein B, Lipoprotein (a). Fasting is not required prior to collection of a lipid panel. Results for this test take 2 weeks to receive.

Lipoprotein (a) has been called a powerful predictor of premature atherosclerotic vascular disease. As an independent risk factor for premature coronary artery disease, excess Lp(a) concentrations are associated with an increased risk of cardiac death in patients with acute coronary syndromes and with restenosis after angioplasty (PTCA) and coronary bypass procedures. In general, concentrations greater than or equal to 75 nmol/L of Lp(a) in serum are associated with a two- to sixfold increase in risk, depending on the presence of other risk factors.

Quest Diagnostics test code 17911 is for a DNA mutation analysis of Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (MTHFR). The test determines if a patient has one, two, or no copies of either of the two mutations in the MTHFR gene, C677T and A1298C.

Changes in the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase gene can lead to certain health conditions. One of them is hyperhomocysteinemia (high blood levels of homocysteine), which is a risk factor for cerebrovascular disease, cerebral vein thrombosis, coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction, and venous thrombosis. At least 40 mutations in the MTHFR gene have been identified in people with homocystinuria, a disorder in which the body is unable to process certain amino acids properly.