MDVIPNew Study Highlights Importance of Inflammation Marker

Beyond Heart Disease: Elevated MPO Levels Now Linked to Overall Mortality Risk

A recent multi-institutional study has expanded the utility of myeloperoxidase (MPO) testing, traditionally used for assessing heart disease risk, to predicting mortality from various causes. This breakthrough could significantly alter how healthcare professionals approach chronic inflammation and its long-term consequences.

HCN Medical Memo
The implications of this study are worth examining further. MPO testing could become a routine part of not just cardiac risk assessment but also broader mortality risk assessment. The ability to lower all-cause mortality by managing MPO levels offers a new avenue for patient care, emphasizing the importance of tackling chronic inflammation through lifestyle changes and better management of chronic conditions.

Key Points

• Elevated levels of MPO, an enzyme in white blood cells, have been traditionally linked to heart attack risk.
• A new study involving Quest Diagnostics, MDVIP, Harvard Medical School, Summa Health, and the University of Florida found that high MPO levels also indicate a greater risk of death from all causes.
• MPO serves as a marker for chronic inflammation and contributes to arterial plaque formation, which can lead to heart attacks or strokes.
• The study found that lowering MPO levels reduced all-cause mortality risk by 5% over five years.

More than half of people who have heart attacks have normal cholesterol levels, underscoring the importance of additional metrics like MPO.

Additional Points

• MPO testing can be part of the MDVIP Wellness Program, which aims to provide a holistic view of cardiac risk factors.
• Elevated MPO levels can predict heart disease risk even in subgroups otherwise considered low-risk.

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