HomocysteineTest Overview
A homocysteine
test measures the amount of the
amino acid homocysteine in the blood. You may have
high levels of homocysteine when cholesterol, white blood cells, calcium, and
other substances (plaque) build up in your blood vessels. This buildup
may increase your chances of having a
heart attack,
stroke, and blood clots in the lungs (pulmonary embolism) or deep veins of the legs (deep venous thrombosis). Homocysteine testing may be most
useful in checking the overall risk of heart disease for people who have a
strong personal or family history of heart disease but who do not have other
risk factors that can be controlled, such as smoking or
high blood pressure. Homocysteine testing also may be
useful for people who have early heart disease but who do not have known risk
factors and for people who have had unexplained deep vein thrombosis or stroke.
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