Recently, a patient asked me about VAP (stands for Vertical Auto Profile) testing for cholesterol and whether this would be a helpful way to measure her cholesterol risk. Through research and conversations with the medical director at the specialty lab that produced and runs the VAP test I found that the test is helpful for identifying people that are at increased risk of cardiovascular disease due to the sub-types of cholesterol that their body produces. However, this test is really only helpful for identifying people at increased risk who have normal cholesterol ratios (or other standard measures). This test does not end up telling us that someone with elevated cholesterol measures and at increased risk based upon standard testing is now not at risk.
The bottom line is that if your standard cholesterol tests show you have increased risk, skip the VAP test because it will show nothing new. On the other hand, if your cholesterol values are normal, the VAP test may identify hidden factors that increase your cardiovascular risk and should be addressed.
Stay tuned for information on the best standard tests for assessing cholesterol risk and the smart way of interpreting them.
For more information on cholesterol testing and red yeast rice, please listen to my podcasts on these topics.