With cardiovascular diseases, such as coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, rheumatic heart disease, heart attacks, and strokes claiming the lives of 17.9 million¹ people each year, it’s no wonder heart health and heart health care are areas of concern within the population.

The need for healthcare innovations continues to grow and redefine the way we think about heart health. At the same time, the need for early detection is more important than ever, making point-of-care testing a catalyst for change in a more individualized approach to medicine.

Point-of-care testing accuracy vs conventional laboratories

There are a limited number of controlled clinical trials for POC lipid measurement; however of those that have been performed, nearly all affirm that POC tests are as accurate as conventional laboratory tests as it relates to stratifying patient’s risk of cardiovascular disease, such as in the 2009 Australian non-inferiority trial.² The study was designed to show that POC testing was no worse than lab testing by a pre-specified minor amount. The results provided evidence that POC testing is non-inferior compared to conventional laboratory testing.

The benefits of point-of-care testing for heart health

Today, POCT does not need to rely on established healthcare infrastructures. Even remote and underserved communities, though not without their challenges to immediate care, can still benefit from the convenience POCT offers. Rather, POCT can be viewed as a critical tool for making heart health assessment available to a broader population and for reducing some of the health disparities in cardiovascular disease.³

POC lipid testing is associated with improved statin therapy compliance. It is reported in the literature that typically 50% of patients stop using their lipid-lowering drug within the first 3 months and only 25% of the patients are compliant with the medication after 1 year.^4,5

However, a study conducted by Bluml et al. showed that “routine lipid testing, and immediate face-to-face counselling achieved 90% compliance over a 24-month period.” ⁶

Versatility in POCT for heart health

Multiple point-of-care tests may benefit heart health, from measuring cholesterol levels and blood pressure to conducting electrocardiograms (ECGs). The more tests there are, the more healthcare providers can tailor heart health monitoring to the needs of the patient.

Abbott recently developed a new cholesterol education site to help patients gain a better understanding of their Cholestech LDX™ test results and what to do to improve their cholesterol numbers. The site offers easy-to-understand explanations, user-friendly dietary and lifestyle tips, frequently asked questions, and links to more in-depth information from the American Heart Association website.