ApoB Interpreter.
Apolipoprotein B counts every artery-clogging particle in one number — a better predictor of heart attack than LDL cholesterol when the two disagree. Enter yours to see your risk tier and target.
Why ApoB beats LDL cholesterol.
Every atherogenic lipoprotein — LDL, IDL, VLDL, and Lp(a) — carries exactly one apolipoprotein B molecule on its surface. So a single ApoB measurement is a direct headcount of the particles that drive a plaque into your artery wall. LDL cholesterol, by contrast, measures the cholesterol cargo inside those particles, which can vary widely per particle.
This matters when the two disagree (discordance). A person with small, dense LDL particles can have a "normal" LDL-C but a high particle count — and it is the particle count that tracks risk. Sniderman et al. (2019) showed ApoB is the superior predictor when LDL-C and ApoB diverge. Because atherosclerosis is cumulative and dose-dependent, the goal is "lower for longer," with no known floor of benefit.
- Sniderman AD, Thanassoulis G, Glavinovic T, et al. (2019). Apolipoprotein B particles and cardiovascular disease: a narrative review. JAMA Cardiology, 4(12), 1287–1295.
- Mach F, Baigent C, Catapano AL, et al. (2020). 2019 ESC/EAS Guidelines for the management of dyslipidaemias. European Heart Journal, 41(1), 111–188.
ApoB is the lipid number that moves most with diet. The blueprint's cholesterol chapter is the lever.
Get the guide →For education, not medical advice. Results are estimates, not a diagnosis — discuss any abnormal value or health concern with a qualified clinician.
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