Heart and circulation problems rarely come from a single cause. The NHS lists several factors that make cardiovascular disease more likely: smoking, alcohol, excess weight and inactivity, age, family history, and conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Some of those you can see in the mirror or on a blood pressure cuff. Others only show up in a blood test.
The Heart Health Profile in the BPR Clinic catalogue was designed with that in mind. It brings three blood-based pieces of the picture into one sample: cholesterol, long-term blood sugar and a marker of low-grade inflammation.
What the Heart Health Profile measures
According to the LML, the laboratory that processes the test, the profile includes:
- A full cholesterol profile: total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, non-HDL, triglycerides and the total cholesterol to HDL ratio.
- HbA1c: a measure of average blood sugar over recent months, used to check for diabetes and to follow it.
- High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP): a marker of generalised inflammation in the body.
Each of these looks at a different route to the same destination. Cholesterol relates to what builds up in arteries. Blood sugar relates to damage to blood vessels over time. Inflammation relates to how the artery wall responds.
Why a heart health blood test includes inflammation
For a long time, cholesterol was the main story. That has changed. A 2025 scientific statement from the American College of Cardiology describes the evidence linking chronic low-grade inflammation with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease as "compelling and clinically actionable" (Mensah et al., 2026). It also notes that a raised hs-CRP in apparently healthy people identifies a higher-risk group, even when LDL cholesterol is normal.
CRP is not specific to the heart, though. The LML points out that a high result can also reflect infections, autoimmune conditions and several other causes of inflammation. A recent infection, even a cold, can move it. That is why a single raised value is usually read in context, and sometimes repeated, before anyone draws conclusions.
If you only want this marker, the catalogue also lists C-Reactive Protein (High Sensitivity) on its own.
Where homocysteine fits
Homocysteine is an amino acid that circulates in the blood. The LML describes raised levels as associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke and dementia.
A review by researchers at Oxford identified more than 100 diseases or conditions associated with raised plasma homocysteine, most commonly cardiovascular and central nervous system conditions (Smith and Refsum, 2021). The same review discusses how levels relate to B vitamins, which is one reason professionals sometimes look at homocysteine alongside nutrition.
The Homocysteine (Quantitative) test is not part of the Heart Health Profile. It is a separate test, sometimes added when there is a family history of early heart disease or stroke, or when a professional wants to look at B vitamin status in a broader way.
One practical point: the LML specifies that the homocysteine sample must be spun and separated within one hour of being taken. That makes it a test for a venous sample handled promptly, not for a home kit.
When the profile tends to make sense
A heart health blood test is often considered from around 35, and earlier when there is:
- a close relative who had heart disease or a stroke at a young age;
- raised blood pressure, excess weight or a sedentary routine;
- a history of high cholesterol or high blood sugar in a previous test;
- a wish to follow changes in diet, activity or weight over time.
In the UK, the free NHS Health Check covers people aged 40 to 74 without existing conditions, every five years. A private profile does not replace it. It can be a way of looking more often or of adding markers, such as hs-CRP, that the standard check does not include.
How often
As a general orientation, people who use this profile tend to repeat it once a year. Talk to a healthcare professional about the rhythm that fits your history.
