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Medical Center of McKinney

cardiologist offers highly accurate

‘new age’ cholesterol testing

TESTS FOR CHOLESTEROL

have gaping margins of

error and can be highly inaccurate. This is not acceptable

for other medical tests, so why should it be for choles-

terol tests?

This is in large part due to the fact that the standard

cholesterol and blood lipid test indirectly calculates four

lipid components—including LDL (bad cholesterol)

levels—and requires fasting for 12 hours. Standard test-

ing does not calculate the

subtype lipids that indicate

increased risk for heart

disease, and results might

reflect a normal cholesterol

value. In addition, routine

cholesterol test results are

affected by triglyceride lev-

els, fasting and coronary

artery disease.

“Patients have come to

me following a heart attack

or stent and do not un-

derstand why it happened

since their tests indicated their cholesterol was normal,”

says Brian Eades, MD, cardiologist on staff at Medical

Center of McKinney. “Well, their cholesterol wasn’t

normal; the test was wrong. It’s unfortunate because

these tests lead people to think they are OK, when all

of a sudden they experience a serious or even a fatal

cardiac event.”

THAT WAS THEN; THIS IS NOW

Ready for the good

news? Advanced technology has led to the discovery of

the VAP+ cholesterol test.

What’s so special about VAP+ testing?

● 

The VAP+ test breaks down the components of cho-

lesterol and identifies people likely to develop coronary

artery disease and diabetes.

● 

It directly calculates LDL, HDL (healthy cholesterol),

triglyceride levels, and subtypes of lipoproteins.

● 

Earlier detection of abnormal lipid levels gives your

physician the opportunity to design an individualized

treatment plan that might prevent cardiac damage and

monitor your response to therapy.

● 

The VAP+ test requires one blood sample, drawn at

any time, and no fasting is necessary.

● 

This test also indicates key cholesterol markers for

insulin resistance or a prediabetic status called metabolic

syndrome.

● 

The VAP+ test directly computes LDL and 15 lipid

components, achieving a higher level of accuracy and

predictability of risk.

● 

It also tests for genetically inherited particles in the

bloodstream that are invisible in standard cholesterol

testing.

“The VAP+ test has been around for about 10 years but

hasn’t been widely known because it was used primar-

ily in the academic world for detailed research analysis,”

Dr. Eades says. “Fortunately, the VAP+ test has become

more mainstream as well as more affordable in recent

years. The VAP+ test enables us to really drill down on

what the problem is with a patient’s lipid panel. It checks

LDL particle size and the LDL particle count in a much

more detailed way. In short, the results of VAP+ testing

provide much more accurate information to support pre-

ventive care as well as continued care for heart disease

or diabetes.”

EVER NOTICE HOW

the term

minimally invasive

has

become increasingly commonplace in the world of mod-

ern medicine? Such is certainly the case with endoscopic

ultrasound.

LESS IS MORE

Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) is a

minimally invasive procedure performed to assess

digestive (gastrointestinal) and lung diseases. It uses

high-frequency sound waves to produce detailed images

of the lining and walls of your digestive tract and chest

as well as nearby organs, such as the pancreas, liver and

lymph nodes. When combined with a procedure called

fine-needle aspiration, EUS allows doctors to sample, or

biopsy, fluid and tissue from your abdomen or chest for

analysis. In short, EUS, with fine-needle aspiration, is a

minimally invasive (there’s that term again!) alternative

to exploratory surgery.

“Endo s c op i c u l t r a -

sound procedures are per-

formed through a natural

orifice—mouth or anus,”

says Manmeet Padda, MD,

board-certified gastroen-

terologist on staff at Medi-

cal Center of McKinney.

“And, since no incisions are

made, patients tend to have

quicker recovery times and

less discomfort.”

AN INSIDE LOOK

Much like in an upper endoscopy or

colonoscopy, during an EUS procedure, the doctor passes

an endoscope (a thin, flexible lighted tube with a camera

on the end) through the patient’s mouth to inspect the

esophagus, stomach and duodenum. EUS uses a special

endoscope called an echoendoscope with an ultrasound

probe on the tip. The doctor can examine the organs

around the digestive tract through ultrasound images

using high-frequency sound waves. This gives the doctor

a clear image of the patient’s digestive organs. Usually

the procedure takes about 30 minutes and is done as an

outpatient procedure.

“Endoscopic ultrasound is a marvelous tool for the

field of gastroenterology,” Dr. Padda says. “It allows us

to get much clearer images than those provided by CT

scans. With a regular camera, it is only possible to see

superficial layers of the gastrointestinal tract. Yet, with

the advanced technology of the EUS, the images are not

only clearer, but we are able to rotate and manipulate

the camera to any angle necessary in order to see and

penetrate deeper into the stomach wall. Organs such as

the liver, pancreas and lymph nodes can be seen very

thoroughly with this procedure.”

Uses of EUS include:

● 

Determining the stage of cancer of the esophagus,

stomach, pancreas and rectum.

● 

Determining the stage of lung cancer.

● 

Evaluating chronic pancreatitis and other masses or

cysts of the pancreas.

● 

Studying bile duct abnormalities, including stones in

the bile duct or gallbladder and tumors in the bile duct,

gallbladder or liver.

● 

Studying the muscles of the lower rectum and anal

canal when evaluating reasons for fecal incontinence.

● 

Analyzing submucosal lesions such as nodules or

bumps that may be hiding in the intestinal wall covered

by normal-appearing lining in the intestinal tract.

“We are so pleased to offer this advanced, minimally

invasive procedure to patients within the surrounding

community,” Dr. Padda says. “It’s one less reason to ven-

ture out since comprehensive care is available right here

at Medical Center of McKinney.”

VAP+ offers a more detailed

analysis of blood than a standard

test and provides better information

for preventive care or ongoing care

for heart disease and diabetes.

Brian Eades, MD

Manmeet Padda, MD

H E A L T H Y

L I V I N G

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W W W. M E D I C A L C E N T E R O F M C K I N N E Y. C O M

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NEW TEST OFFERS ENHANCED ACCURACY

A WIN-WIN FOR PATIENTS AND DOCTORS ALIKE

ENDOSCOPIC ULTRASOUND