Men’s Advanced Cardiovascular Risk
A private lipoprotein a test in Kingston that goes beyond a standard cholesterol panel. This advanced cardiovascular risk blood test measures Apolipoprotein A1, Apolipoprotein B and the ApoA/ApoB ratio, Lipoprotein(a), Fibrinogen, high-sensitivity CRP, Lp-PLA2 (PLAC) and quantitative Homocysteine, on top of the standard lipid profile. Together these are the residual-risk markers that explain why "normal" cholesterol does not always mean low cardiovascular risk. Reviewed by a GMC-registered doctor at our CQC-registered Kingston clinic, with results in 2 to 5 working days.
By Dr Maryam Attarzadeh, GMC-registered doctor and Medical Director, KONCEPT® Medical Clinic. Last reviewed May 2026. Next review November 2026.
A standard lipid panel is the first line and remains the cornerstone of cardiovascular risk assessment. But it does not always explain why some men with "normal" cholesterol still have heart attacks or strokes. Residual-risk markers like Lipoprotein(a), ApoB and hs-CRP help fill that gap. The figures below are from the British Heart Foundation's 2025 statistics compendium and the wider clinical literature.
A lipoprotein a test sits inside this Advanced Cardiovascular Risk panel because Lp(a) is one of the most useful residual-risk markers a standard cholesterol panel does not include. The panel is for men who have a strong family history of premature heart disease, men whose standard cholesterol numbers look fine but who feel uneasy about their risk, men already on lipid-lowering treatment who want a fuller picture, men with a personal or family history of stroke, and men who want one of the most thorough blood-based cardiovascular risk assessments available without specialist referral.
If you want first-line cardio-metabolic markers without the advanced lipidology, the Blood Sugar, Cholesterol & Heart Health panel (£279) is the better starting point. This Advanced panel is best read together with that one if both ranges of information matter.
Included as the foundation. Residual-risk markers are interpreted in the context of the standard lipid profile, not instead of it.
The main protein of HDL particles. Together with ApoB it gives a particle-based measure of atherogenic balance.
The main protein of all atherogenic particles (LDL, VLDL, IDL, Lp(a)). One ApoB per particle, so it directly counts the particles that drive atherosclerosis. Often more informative than LDL-C alone, especially in mixed dyslipidaemia or insulin resistance.
The balance between atherogenic and protective particles. A widely-validated cardiovascular risk marker, useful when standard lipids look ambiguous.
A largely genetic, lifelong risk factor. Lp(a) is independent of diet and most lipid-lowering medications, so a once-in-a-lifetime measurement is informative, particularly with a family history of premature heart disease. Raised Lp(a) is increasingly recognised as a major independent driver of cardiovascular risk that standard lipid panels miss entirely.
A sensitive marker of low-grade systemic inflammation that contributes to atherosclerosis. Persistently raised hs-CRP in the absence of acute illness signals inflammatory cardiovascular risk.
An acute-phase clotting protein. Persistently raised fibrinogen is associated with increased cardiovascular events independent of cholesterol and blood pressure.
Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2. A vascular-specific inflammation marker associated with the development of unstable atherosclerotic plaque.
Raised homocysteine is associated with vascular damage and is sometimes due to B12, folate or B6 deficiency, which is treatable. A useful one-off check in the cardiovascular risk workup.
Each result is interpreted by the doctor against the appropriate reference range for you. Advanced cardiovascular biomarkers should be read together with standard risk factors (age, blood pressure, smoking, diabetes status, family history) and a validated risk tool such as NICE-recommended QRISK. They refine, rather than replace, conventional risk assessment.
Many men book the lipoprotein a test as part of the panel on its own and act on the doctor's outcome note. If you want a clinical conversation about what the residual-risk markers mean for your specific picture, the panel pairs naturally with a 30-minute KONCEPT® GP consultation. For a fuller GP-led plan from the start, the Wellman Check is the personalised pathway.
If you are not sure which route fits, call 020 8129 1011 and the team will guide you.
A GMC-registered doctor at KONCEPT® reviews the request for clinical suitability before the appointment is confirmed, so the panel is right for your situation.
ApoB, Lp(a), hs-CRP, fibrinogen, Lp-PLA2 and homocysteine are most useful when read together and against your standard lipid profile and QRISK assessment.
Bloods are drawn in our CQC-registered Kingston clinic by an experienced practitioner. Samples processed by an accredited UK pathology laboratory.
Booked online without a referral. The clinic is opposite Kingston Station, with parking nearby at the Bentall Centre.
A short outcome note is sent to your email, password-protected. Either normal, no follow-up needed, or GP review recommended (NHS GP or KONCEPT® GP at £149).
Book a 30-minute KONCEPT® GP consultation (£149) or the fuller Wellman Check (£399) to interpret your results alongside QRISK, family history and lifestyle.
Want a clinical conversation alongside the bloods? Book both in one go · the GP will see your results during the consultation.
| Home-kit advanced lipid package | KONCEPT® Advanced CV Risk panel | |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Often ApoB and Lp(a) only; Lp-PLA2, fibrinogen and homocysteine often missing or sold separately. | ApoA1, ApoB, ApoA/ApoB ratio, Lp(a), fibrinogen, hs-CRP, Lp-PLA2 and homocysteine, plus the standard lipid profile, in one panel. |
| Sample collection | Self-administered finger-prick. Several of these markers need venous collection for assay reliability. | Venous draw in-clinic for consistent assay quality. |
| Who reviews the result | Algorithm-generated PDF. | Reviewed by a GMC-registered doctor, with results read alongside your standard lipid profile and family history. Review included in the £338 price. |
| Action when something needs follow-up | "See your GP." | Discussed with the reviewing doctor, with referral to cardiology or preventive medicine where appropriate, or NHS GP continuity. |
| Regulation | Online retailer. | CQC-registered private clinic. GMC-registered doctors. ICO-registered for data protection. |
The NHS provides comprehensive care and remains the right route for many men. KONCEPT® is designed to complement, not replace, that care, for men who want residual-risk cardiovascular markers in one visit on their own timing.
| Standard NHS approach | What KONCEPT® adds | |
|---|---|---|
| Booking and access | Via your registered NHS GP, subject to local appointment availability and clinical prioritisation. | Book directly without a referral. Same-day, Saturday and out-of-hours appointments at the Kingston clinic. |
| Scope of first-line testing | NHS first-line testing uses the standard lipid profile and QRISK assessment per NICE CKS guidance. ApoB and Lp(a) are not currently routine first-line tests for most adults, though Lp(a) is recommended at least once where there is a family history. | A complete advanced lipid and inflammatory panel including ApoB, Lp(a), hs-CRP, fibrinogen, Lp-PLA2 and homocysteine in one visit. |
| Time with the reviewing doctor | Length of GP consultation varies by region and provider. | A 30-minute consultation with a GMC-registered doctor is offered alongside the panel for men who would like one. |
| Onward specialist input | Cardiology and lipid-clinic referral routes vary by region. | The reviewing doctor can refer to a private cardiologist or lipid specialist where indicated. |
| Cost | Free at the point of use. | All-in £338 (£299 test fee plus the one-off £39 administration fee). |
NHS provision varies by region and clinical context, and the NHS pathway remains appropriate for many patients. KONCEPT® encourages continued NHS GP involvement and shares clinical summaries with your NHS GP on request.
Online, in person, or added during a GP consultation. Each request is reviewed by a GMC-registered doctor.
An experienced practitioner takes your sample in-clinic. Fast for 10 to 12 hours (water only) for accurate triglycerides, ApoB and homocysteine. Keep taking any prescribed medication unless told otherwise. Stop biotin supplements 48 to 72 hours before.
Samples processed by an accredited UK pathology laboratory.
Most results within 2 to 5 working days. A short outcome note is sent securely to your email, password-protected, with the advanced markers read against your conventional risk picture.
Cardiovascular risk often sits inside a wider metabolic picture. The doctor can recommend the most useful additional panel or service at booking.
KONCEPT® Medical Clinic offers the Advanced CV Risk panel for patients across the KT and SW postcodes. Men book from Kingston upon Thames, Surbiton, New Malden, Wimbledon, Richmond upon Thames, Putney, Teddington, Hampton, Esher, Cobham, Walton-on-Thames, Thames Ditton and Twickenham. The clinic is at 46 to 48 Wood Street, opposite Kingston Station. Call 020 8129 1011 or book online.
Men with a family history of premature heart disease (parent, sibling or close uncle under 60), men whose standard cholesterol numbers look fine but who feel uneasy about their risk, men already on lipid-lowering treatment who want a fuller picture, and any man who wants one of the most thorough blood-based cardiovascular risk assessments available without specialist referral.
Standard lipid profile (total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, triglycerides, non-HDL) plus Apolipoprotein A1, Apolipoprotein B, ApoA/ApoB ratio, Lipoprotein(a), Fibrinogen, high-sensitivity CRP, Lp-PLA2 (PLAC test), and quantitative homocysteine.
LDL-C measures the cholesterol content of LDL particles; ApoB counts the number of all atherogenic particles (LDL, VLDL, IDL, Lp(a)). One ApoB per particle, so it directly counts the particles that drive atherosclerosis. Two men with the same LDL-C can have very different ApoB and therefore different atherosclerotic risk, particularly in mixed dyslipidaemia or insulin resistance. ApoB is increasingly considered the more informative single marker in many international lipid guidelines.
QRISK is the NHS-validated 10-year cardiovascular risk calculator recommended by NICE CKS. It combines blood results with age, blood pressure, family history, smoking status and other factors to give a percentage risk estimate. The reviewing doctor or your GP can apply QRISK to your results to decide whether to consider lifestyle change alone, intensified lifestyle change, or preventive medication such as a statin.
Lp(a) is largely genetic and lifelong; it does not respond meaningfully to lifestyle change. A single measurement gives lifetime information, particularly important if your family history hints at inherited risk. Raised Lp(a) does not reduce the value of lifestyle change; it strengthens the case for managing all other modifiable risk factors aggressively.
Residual risk is the cardiovascular risk that remains after standard risk factors (LDL cholesterol, blood pressure, smoking, diabetes) have been addressed. Lp(a), ApoB, hs-CRP, Lp-PLA2 and homocysteine are all recognised contributors to residual risk and can help explain why some men with "normal" cholesterol still have cardiovascular events.
Yes. Fast for 10 to 12 hours (water only) for accurate triglycerides, ApoB and homocysteine. Stop biotin supplements 48 to 72 hours before. Keep taking any prescribed medication unless your doctor tells you otherwise.
Most results within 2 to 5 working days, sent securely to your email, password-protected.
Raised Lp(a) is common (often quoted as around one in five adults globally) and is a recognised independent cardiovascular risk factor. It does not have a specific medication treatment in widespread NHS use currently, but it raises the threshold for aggressively managing all other modifiable risk factors (LDL, blood pressure, weight, smoking, glucose). The doctor will explain the implications in the outcome note and may recommend a cardiology referral.
Not on its own. Statin therapy is a clinical decision based on the full risk picture (QRISK score, family history, age, blood pressure, diabetes, kidney function and patient preference) per NICE guidance. This panel adds residual-risk markers to that picture but does not replace the QRISK-based assessment. The decision is made by the clinician with you, ideally alongside your usual GP.
If you want the markers tested and a doctor-reviewed outcome note, the blood test on its own (£338) is the right starting point. If you want to discuss the result in person and place it in QRISK context, book the panel plus a 30-minute KONCEPT® GP consultation (£149). For a fuller GP-led plan from the start, the Wellman Check (£399) is the personalised pathway.
Home-kit advanced lipid packages typically cover ApoB and Lp(a) only; Lp-PLA2, fibrinogen and homocysteine are often missing or sold separately. At KONCEPT® all eight residual-risk markers are included in one venous panel, reviewed by a GMC-registered doctor in context of your standard lipid profile and family history. Review and outcome note included in the £338 panel price.
ApoB and Lp(a) are not routinely part of NHS first-line testing for most adults (though Lp(a) is recommended at least once where there is a family history). KONCEPT® complements NHS care for men who want a comprehensive residual-risk picture in one visit, on their own timing.
46 to 48 Wood Street, Kingston upon Thames, KT1 1UW, opposite Kingston station.
All in £338 blood test only · £487 blood test + GP consultation · £399 Wellman Check. No GP referral needed. Doctor-reviewed result, sent securely to your email.
Serving Kingston upon Thames and the surrounding KT, SW and TW catchment.
This page is for information only and is not a substitute for medical advice. Advanced cardiovascular biomarkers refine, rather than replace, conventional risk assessment with QRISK. Treatment decisions are made by the clinician with you, ideally alongside your usual GP. Statistics shown are sourced from BHF Heart Statistics 2025, NICE CKS and the wider clinical literature, and are presented as context, not as a prediction of any individual's risk.