What is the purpose of a Cardio IQ (Cardiovascular Intelligence Quotient) test?

From the Guidelines

The CardioIQ test, which includes coronary artery calcium (CAC) scoring, is a crucial tool for assessing cardiovascular risk and should be considered for asymptomatic individuals, particularly those with a family history of cardiovascular disease or traditional risk factors, as it has been shown to be a consistent and reproducible means of assessing risk of major CV outcomes. According to the major global coronary artery calcium guidelines published in JACC: Cardiovascular Imaging in 2023 1, CAC scoring has emerged as a widely available and useful means of assessing risk of major CV outcomes, especially in asymptomatic people for planning primary prevention interventions such as statins and aspirin. Some key points to consider when using the CardioIQ test include:

• The test is particularly useful for identifying cardiovascular risks that standard lipid panels might miss, as traditional cholesterol measurements don't always capture the complete picture of cardiovascular risk.
• CAC scoring has been shown to predict not only CVD outcomes but also non-CVD outcomes such as CKD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, hip fracture, cancer, and dementia independent of age, sex, and risk factors.
• Ongoing randomized trials, including the DANCAVAS, ROBINSCA, CorCal, ACCURATE, and CAUGHT-CAD trials, are investigating the utility of CAC scoring in various populations and will provide further guidance on its use in the future.
• The test requires a blood draw and possibly a coronary calcium scan, and results are typically available within a few days, allowing for personalized treatment plans to be developed. The use of the CardioIQ test, including CAC scoring, is supported by the latest evidence and should be considered as part of a comprehensive cardiovascular risk assessment, particularly in asymptomatic individuals with a family history of cardiovascular disease or traditional risk factors, as stated in the major global coronary artery calcium guidelines published in JACC: Cardiovascular Imaging in 2023 1.

From the Research

Cardio IQ Test Overview

• The Cardio IQ test is a diagnostic tool used to assess an individual's risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) [(2,3,4)].
• It typically involves measuring various lipid parameters, such as low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), and triglycerides [(3,4)].

Lipid Parameters and Cardiovascular Risk

• Assessing lipid parameters is a common method for identifying individuals at high risk of CVD 3.
• LDL-C is a primary target of therapy in most clinical guidelines, but other lipoprotein-lipid measurements, such as non-HDL cholesterol and apolipoprotein B, can provide additional predictive value [(3,4)].
• Individuals with low levels of HDL cholesterol or apolipoprotein A-I are also at increased risk of cardiovascular events 3.

Clinical Guidelines and Lipid Testing

• Various national guidelines for managing dyslipidemia to prevent CVD are available, which primarily focus on LDL-C for identifying those at high risk and setting thresholds for optimal response to therapy 4.
• However, there is a shift towards using lipid parameters other than LDL-C, such as non-HDL-C, apolipoprotein B, and lipoprotein a, to identify high-risk patients and/or establish treatment targets 4.