Testing for biomarkers linked to heart health can help guide lifestyle changes like diet and exercise that could reduce the risk of heart disease. What's tested? Cholesterol - this is sometimes known as a ‘lipid panel’ and measures different types of cholesterol in your blood along with triglyceride levels. Total Cholesterol - Cholesterol comes both from your diet and the production of cholesterol in the liver. Cholesterol and other lipids are carried in the blood attached to proteins, forming particles known as lipoproteins. Low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol - LDL is often called bad cholesterol. Too much LDL cholesterol can build up in blood vessel walls. High density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol - HDL cholesterol is often called good cholesterol because it helps prevent disease by carrying LDL cholesterol away from cells, back to the liver, where it can be broken down and removed from the body. Triglycerides - These are mostly stored in fat (adipose) tissue, with some circulating in the blood to provide fuel for muscles. Blood triglycerides increase after eating and are part of the ‘saturated’ and ‘unsaturated’ fats you read about on food labels. + Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) - glucose in your blood binds to hemoglobin in red blood cells forming hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c). Because red blood cells live for 2–3 months, HbA1c levels reflect the average level of glucose in your blood during that time. Increased HbA1c levels are seen in people who are at increased risk of diabetes or those who are living with diabetes.