The PLAC Test for Lp-PLA2
The PLAC Test is a simple blood test, available nationally through leading clinical reference, hospital, and advanced cardiovascular diagnostic laboratories.
- The PLAC Test measures Lp-PLA2 (lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2), a vascular-specific inflammatory enzyme implicated in the formation of rupture-prone plaque. Plaque rupture and thrombosis (not stenosis) cause the majority of cardiac events.
- 50% of cardiovascular events strike in patients with unremarkable lipid levels, highlighting the prevalence of hidden cardiovascular risk.
- A substantial body of evidence including over 65 papers support Lp-PLA2 as a cardiovascular risk marker that provides new information, over and above traditional risk factors.
- In June 2008, a panel of leading cardiologists and neurologists published a consensus recommendation in a supplement of the American Journal of Cardiology, proposing that the PLAC Test should be used as an adjunct to traditional risk factor assessment to identify which moderate and high risk individuals, as initially assessed by traditional risk factors, may actually be at an increased risk for heart attack or stroke. This recommendation is consistent with National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III guidelines (ATP III) for inflammatory marker testing.
- An elevated PLAC Test may indicate a need for more aggressive therapy, including treatment to lower LDL-C goals. Lipid lowering therapies, including statins, are proven to reduce cardiovascular events regardless of baseline LDL-C levels.
- The PLAC Test is the only blood test cleared by the FDA to aid in assessing risk for both coronary heart disease and ischemic stroke associated with atherosclerosis. Since LDL has proven not to be a reliable predictor of stroke, the PLAC Test addresses this unmet clinical need.
- The PLAC Test has a Category I CPT Code (83698) and is reimbursed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) with a National Limitation Amount (NLA) of $48.08 in the 2012 CMS Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule.
- Currently, over 120 million Americans are covered for the PLAC Test. However, some patients may be required to pay out-of-pocket – a small investment in their future health. The PLAC Test measures Lp-PLA2 (lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2), a vascular-specific inflammatory enzyme implicated in the formation of rupture-prone plaque. Plaque rupture and thrombosis (not stenosis) cause the majority of cardiac events.
For more information on the PLAC Test for Lp-PLA2, visit www.plactest.com.