FAQs
What is the PULS Cardiac TestTM?
How does the PULS Cardiac Test quantify endothelial damage?
How do unstable cardiac lesions form?
Why test for unstable cardiac lesions?
Is the PULS Test right for me?
Is there a Heart Disease test for patients under 40?
How was the test developed?
What are the 9 proteins used to detect endothelial injury leading to unstable lesion rupture?
MEASURES FORMATION & FREE RADICAL DAMAGE
IL-16 - “Signaling Molecule” triggers repair process. Immune response begins.
MEASURES IMMUNE RESPONSE
MCP-3 - Macrophage attracts monocytes and converts to foam cells. Gives immune cells direction and activity.
Eotaxin - Eosinophil consumes fibrin and prevents blood clot.
Activates immune cells at areas of damage.
CTACK - Helps regulate local inflammatory response and cleans up damaged tissue.
MEASURES PROGRESSION
sFas - Cell repair “prevents cell death”
Fas Ligand - Initiates cell death and recycling
HGF - Forms collagen. Stimulates tissue and repair.
MEASURES CLINICAL RISK FACTORS
HDL - Helps remove bad cholesterol and neutralizes free radicals
HbA1c - Diabetes Marker
How were PULS biomarkers selected and validated?
How have studies for PULS biomarkers been able to accurately measure endothelial health when other studies have failed?
Can individual biomarkers effectively measure endothelial damage leading to unstable cardiac lesion formation?
Individual biomarkers provide insucient information to adequately characterize this process. Multiple biomarkers representing multiple pathways are required to adequately define this process.
PULS protein biomarkers cover 9 of the pathways involved in the formation and progression of unstable cardiac lesions. Seven of the biomarkers are 98% sensitive and specific for diagnosing endothelial injury or dysfunction and identifying the formation of cardiac lesions.
The algorithm predicts the progression of these cardiac lesions and predicts when they might become unstable and prone to rupture (ACS) in the following 5 year period.
A key point is there are many biomarkers and global risk factors (i.e. age) that correlate with Heart Disease. However, few biomarkers indicate whether an individual has the disease. PULS biomarkers not only identify Coronary Heart Disease, they can determine disease stage. The PULS algorithm can predict the likelihood of an unstable cardiac lesion rupture (ACS) in the following 5-year period.
How does the PULS Cardiac Test complement and compare to current clinical testing for Coronary Heart Disease?
Diagnostic & Predictive
The PULS Cardiac Test is both a diagnostic and predictive cardiac test. While other CHD clinical tests (such as cholesterol) evaluate the risk of developing CHD, the PULS Cardiac Test detects silent damage to the coronary arteries, assesses disease stage, and predicts likelihood of ACS.
Identifies Low & High Risk “Vulnerable” Patients
Unlike traditional tests for Heart Disease, the PULS Cardiac Test can detect the early stages of endothelial or arterial injury, diagnose disease stage, and predict how likely the patient is to suer an unstable cardiac lesion rupture (myocardial infarction). This means the test is not only high-eective at identifying highrisk vulnerable patients, it can also can identify patients who are at low risk for heart attack, ensuring that interventions are focused only on those patients who actually need them. Providing the information on both ACS risk and disease stage are important when guiding physicians in formulating preventive or intervention strategies that improve patient care.
Other Key Dierentiators
The PULS Cardiac Test: • Has been independently validated in a multi-ethnic population (MESA). • Was developed based on longitudinal outcome-based clinical trials that demonstrate clinical utility in identifying patients with endothelial damage who are in danger of ACS. • Conforms to current ACC/AHA guidelines. • Has been shown to motivate patients to adhere to physician recommendations.
How do I order the PULS Test?
How is the PULS Cardiac Test performed? What are the specimen requirements?
What will be included in the results?
How do I interpret test results?
Normal (<3.5%): These patients are in the desired range. Reviewing good nutrition and exercise habits and identifying any areas of concern like heart age, rising BMI or family history will dictate if additional recommendations are encouraged.
Borderline (3.5-7.49%): Patients in the intermediate range are generally early in disease progression. Frequently, simple lifestyle modifications such as a healthy diet, physical activity, smoking cessation, and stress management can bring these individuals back into the normal range.
Elevated (>7.5%): These patients have an elevated risk of ACS and should be treated as such using the ACC/AHA guidelines. Further evaluation is recommended to better define the clinical picture and treatment plan. If the patient is not currently under the care of a cardiologist, referral to a cardiologist should be considered. Case studies have shown that some patients with high-risk results who have not acted on the information have experienced heart attacks within weeks or months of the test.
How has the PULS Cardiac Test demonstrated clinical utility and improved patient care?