# Heart Health panel: Your heart risk, from one blood draw > One blood draw for your heart risk: ApoB, Lp(a), hs-CRP, an advanced cholesterol profile, HbA1c, insulin, and kidney, liver and thyroid tests. $150.90, with results in 2 to 3 days. - Price: $150.90, the whole cost - Tests: 17 - Fast for 12 hours first - Order: [Order the Heart Health panel](https://app.picardo.health/labs/order?panels=heart-health&ref=guide-heart-health-panel) - Web page: https://picardo.health/guides/panels/heart-health ## The short answer A blood test panel that shows more of your heart risk than a standard cholesterol test. It counts the particles that build plaque, checks Lp(a), an inherited risk factor most tests leave out, and looks at inflammation, blood sugar, kidneys, liver and thyroid, all from one blood draw.[1][2] - **Who it’s for:** Anyone who wants the full picture of their heart risk, especially if heart disease runs in your family, your cholesterol is borderline, or you have prediabetes or diabetes. - **What it costs:** $150.90. That’s the whole cost, and it’s HSA and FSA eligible. - **How it works:** Fast for 12 hours, get a blood draw at a Labcorp location of your choice for free or at home for $75, and see your results in the Picardo app in 2 to 3 days. ## What the panel tests 17 tests from one visit: 16 that everyone gets, plus one that depends on your sex. ### Cholesterol particles How many particles are carrying cholesterol into your artery walls, and what kind. - **[ApoB](https://picardo.health/guides/biomarkers/apob.md):** A count of the particles that build plaque - **[NMR LipoProfile](https://picardo.health/guides/biomarkers/ldl-particle-number.md):** LDL particle number and size, LDL and HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and insulin resistance markers - **[Apolipoprotein A-1](https://picardo.health/guides/biomarkers/apoa1.md):** The main protein in HDL ### Inherited risk A risk factor you’re born with, which a standard cholesterol test doesn’t measure.[1] - **[Lp(a)](https://picardo.health/guides/biomarkers/lipoprotein-a.md):** Lipoprotein(a), usually checked once in a lifetime ### Inflammation Low-grade inflammation that adds to heart risk.[2] - **[hs-CRP](https://picardo.health/guides/biomarkers/hs-crp.md):** High-sensitivity C-reactive protein ### Blood sugar and insulin Early signs of insulin resistance and diabetes, which raise heart risk.[2] - **[HbA1c](https://picardo.health/guides/biomarkers/hba1c.md):** Your average blood sugar over three months - **[Insulin](https://picardo.health/guides/biomarkers/fasting-insulin.md):** How hard your body works to keep blood sugar normal ### Kidneys, liver and thyroid Kidney disease raises heart risk, and an underactive thyroid can raise cholesterol.[2] - **Comprehensive metabolic panel:** Kidney and liver function, glucose and electrolytes - **Urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio:** Early kidney damage, from a urine sample at the same visit - **[Uric acid](https://picardo.health/guides/biomarkers/uric-acid.md):** Linked to gout, kidney disease and blood pressure - **GGT:** A liver enzyme - **Thyroid cascade:** TSH, with more thyroid tests added if it’s abnormal ### Blood count and nutrients Common, fixable problems worth ruling out from the same draw. - **Complete blood count:** Red cells, white cells and platelets - **Magnesium:** A mineral your heart rhythm depends on - **Vitamin B12 and folate:** Two B vitamins - **Vitamin D:** 25-hydroxy vitamin D ### One test by sex Men get a prostate test and women a pregnancy test. - **PSA, free-to-total ratio:** For men - **hCG:** A pregnancy test, for women ## Why not just a cholesterol test? A standard cholesterol test measures how much cholesterol your blood carries. It doesn’t count the particles that carry it into your artery walls. That count, ApoB, is the more accurate measure when the two disagree, which is common with diabetes, high triglycerides or extra weight.[1] It also leaves out Lp(a). Lp(a) is mostly inherited, so diet and exercise barely move it. US guidelines recommend measuring it at least once in every adult’s life,[2] and European guidelines say it should be considered.[1] The US dyslipidemia guideline lists high Lp(a), ApoB and hs-CRP, and cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic syndrome, as risk enhancers: findings that can tip the decision toward treatment.[2] This panel runs the blood tests behind all of them in one draw. [Read the ApoB guide](https://picardo.health/guides/biomarkers/apob.md) ## How it works 1. **Order online:** The price is the whole cost, and you can pay with an HSA or FSA card. 2. **Blood draw:** Fast for 12 hours first: water is fine, but skip food, coffee and tea. Go to any Labcorp location for free, or have blood drawn at home for $75. 3. **Get your results:** Results arrive in the Picardo app in 2 to 3 days, with a first explanation of what they mean. You can ask for a follow-up with a physician. Every order comes with: - Results in 2 to 3 days, in the app - Physician follow-up if you want one - Free Labcorp draw, or $75 at home - No other fees. HSA and FSA eligible. ## Questions people ask ### Do I need to fast for the Heart Health panel? Yes. Fast for at least 12 hours before your blood draw. Water is fine, but skip food and other drinks, including coffee and tea. ### How much does the Heart Health panel cost? $150.90. That covers every test and a blood draw at Labcorp; a draw at home is $75 more. You can pay with an HSA or FSA card. ### I only wanted an ApoB test. Is the panel worth it? ApoB on its own is a good test. The panel adds Lp(a), hs-CRP, blood sugar, insulin, kidney, liver and thyroid tests from the same blood draw, so one visit answers the questions an ApoB result tends to raise.[1][2] ### How is this different from a standard cholesterol test? A standard test measures cholesterol. This panel also counts the particles that carry it, with ApoB and LDL particle number, checks Lp(a), and adds tests for inflammation, blood sugar, insulin, kidneys, liver and thyroid.[1][2] ### How often should I get it? Lp(a) usually needs checking only once.[1][2] For the rest, once a year is common, or 4 to 12 weeks after starting a new diet or medicine, which is when clinicians usually recheck cholesterol.[2] ## Sources 1. Mach F, Baigent C, Catapano AL, et al. 2019 ESC/EAS Guidelines for the management of dyslipidaemias: lipid modification to reduce cardiovascular risk. Eur Heart J. 2020;41(1):111–188. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehz455 2. Blumenthal RS, Morris PB, Gaudino M, et al. 2026 ACC/AHA/AACVPR/ABC/ACPM/ADA/AGS/APhA/ASPC/NLA/PCNA guideline on the management of dyslipidemia: a report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Joint Committee on Clinical Practice Guidelines. Circulation. 2026;153(17):e1154–e1276. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIR.0000000000001423 Updated 2026-11-04. This is general health information, not medical advice: talk to your clinician about your results and before changing any treatment.