Assessment of risk factors for coronary heart disease in vascular medicine: long-term experience and a personal view from the laboratory.

Abstract

Physicians should be properly informed of the clinical chemistry diagnostic potential for the diagnosis and classification of hyper- and dyslipidemias by laboratory determinations of lipids, lipoproteins, and apolipoproteins. New analytes are regularly found to be relevant for screening and risk estimation for coronary artery disease in vascular medicine. These analytes can be distinguished between parameters working on the long-term or working acutely. However, in times of restricted laboratory budgets, it is not always possible to add the new analyte to the routine diagnostic supply without having answered the question of whether the new analyte indeed adds to the chronic or acute risk estimation power presently available. This is relevant for homocysteine and for C-reactive protein (CRP). Both parameters appear to be interrelated to most common cardiovascular risk factors supposed to promote atherosclerosis and to ultimately provoke cardiovascular disease, and in fact are not independent. The latter certainly has added value in acute situations. With regard to the chronic risk estimators, it must be concluded that there is a multifactorial influence, with an important contribution made by social and lifestyle factors. This review draws attention to the multifactorial aspects of coronary heart disease, risk profiling using computer programs, socioeconomic factors, and implementation problems of interventions.