Comparison of Two Point-of-Care Lipid Analyzers for Use in Global Cardiovascular Risk Assessments

Point-of-care (POC) testing for car-diovascular disease (CVD) risk fac-tors has grown dramatically in recent years. Currently, the POC analyzer indus-try is primarily driven to serve the diabetic population, given the frequency of glucose self-monitoring. Analyzers currently avail-able include monitors for glucose, hemo-globin A1c, fructosamine, ketones, urinary microalbumin, alanine aminotransferase, and complete lipid profiles.1 Although the convenience for patients and practitioners of obtaining real-time lipid results is re-markable, available lipid POC analyzers have not yet been recommended as a sub-stitute for laboratory diagnostic testing.2 There has been a dramatic decrease in CVD mortality in the US in recent de-cades principally related to improved lipid and blood pressure control.3 Since more than 80 % of CVD is attributable to modifiable risk factors (eg, dyslipidemia, hypertension, smoking, diabetes),4 screen-ing, early detection, and treatment of these risk factors constitute a critical se-quence toward prevention of cardiac events. Each risk factor alone increases CVD risk twofold, and the presence of all 4 factors increases CVD risk 40-fold.5 Given the synergistic impact of these risk factors, national guidelines strongl