HomocysteineWhat To Think About- A urine test may be done to help detect and
monitor homocystinuria. But a blood test is more
accurate.
- Homocysteine testing may be most valuable in evaluating
the overall risk of heart disease for people who have a strong personal or
family history of heart disease but who do not have other risk factors that can
be controlled, such as smoking or high blood pressure.
- It is
unclear whether elevated homocysteine levels alone increase your risk of heart
disease. Your overall
risk factors for heart disease must be evaluated along with your homocysteine
levels. The relationship between homocysteine and cardiovascular disease is
being studied in
clinical trials.
- Vitamin B and
folic acid supplements, which can lower homocysteine
levels, do not lower the risk of a
heart attack or stroke.1 Most
doctors recommend that you get B vitamins from a balanced diet, and they do not
advise that you take vitamin B supplements.
- For more information on folic acid and vitamin B12, see the
medical tests
Folic Acid and
Vitamin B12.
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