Investigators reviewed previously published trials to perform a meta analysis on three blood tests and found that they were all associated with a risk for heart disease.

They found that an elevated C-reactive Protein (CRP) was a risk. CRP is elevated when there is inflammation going on somewhere in the body. Elevated fibrogen levels, which indicates an increased tendency towards clotting, were also a risk. An increased white blood cell count (WBC) was also a risk.

This is consistent with many of the new studies, (some in last week's newsletter) which show that there is likely an infectious component to heart disease. A WBC count greater than 8.5 was found to be the cutoff. Decreased albumin levels were also a factor which could indicate a relative protein deficiency and excess of carbohydrates.

JAMA. 1998;279:1477-1482

COMMENT: The above tests are independent of the cholesterol values mentioned in the section above. If anyone is at high risk for heart disease or has already had a heart attack, these are tests that should be done.

I do chelation therapy in my office for patients with severe coronary artery disease and I am constantly amazed at how many cardiologists fail to perform these tests. Two other even more important tests that I perform as they have very simple steps to correct them are a serum ferritin level which checks for high iron levels and of course homocysteine which when elevated can be normalized with folic acid, B12 and B6.