Physician-built clinical intelligence for cardiovascular longevity — built by a lipidologist, not a tech company.
A standard lipid panel tells you whether a value falls inside or outside a population reference range. It does not tell you what target is right for you — that depends on your overall cardiovascular risk. CardioIQ's interpretation logic exists to close that gap: it reads your panel against guideline-anchored, risk-calibrated targets, the same way a preventive cardiologist or lipidologist would in clinic.
This page explains the logic itself — the frameworks, thresholds, and sources CardioIQ's reports are built on. It is not a diagnosis, and it does not replace your physician; it is designed to be brought to them.
Standard reference ranges are built to rule out disease in a general population. Longevity-optimal targets are calibrated to an individual's overall risk category — they aim higher, for someone actively working to minimize cumulative atherosclerotic exposure over decades. Both are valid; they answer different questions. CardioIQ shows both, side by side, rather than replacing one with the other.
The core lipid targets come from the 2019 ESC/EAS Dyslipidaemia Guidelines, reaffirmed unchanged by the 2025 Focused Update. The 2025 update did not change these numeric targets — it updated how risk category itself is assigned (see §3) and expanded the non-statin toolbox.
| Marker | Moderate risk | High risk | Very-high risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| LDL-C | <100 mg/dL | <70 mg/dL (≥50%↓) | <55 mg/dL (≥50%↓) |
| ApoB | <100 mg/dL | <80 mg/dL | <65 mg/dL |
| Non-HDL-C | <130 mg/dL | <100 mg/dL | <85 mg/dL |
Source: ESC/EAS 2019 Dyslipidaemia Guidelines (ehz455); targets reaffirmed in the 2025 Focused Update (ehaf190).
Why ApoB alongside LDL-C? ApoB reflects the number of atherogenic particles directly, and can diverge from LDL-C when triglycerides are elevated or insulin resistance is present. When the two disagree, ApoB is the preferred measure of atherogenic burden.
Which column applies to a given person is a separate question from the targets themselves. As of the 2025 Focused Update, primary-prevention risk is estimated using SCORE2 (ages 40–69) or SCORE2-OP (ages 70–89) — a 10-year fatal-plus-non-fatal cardiovascular event estimate. Established atherosclerotic disease, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, or familial hypercholesterolemia place someone directly into the high- or very-high-risk category without a SCORE2 calculation.
Source: 2025 ESC/EAS Focused Update, Mach et al., Eur Heart J 2025;46(42):4359–4378 (ehaf190).
Lp(a) is not on a standard lipid panel, is genetically determined, and stays essentially stable across life — which is why guidelines recommend measuring it once, in every adult, rather than tracking it over time.
| Band | nmol/L | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| Rule-out | <75 | Not an independent risk driver |
| Grey zone | 75–125 | Intermediate — considered alongside overall risk |
| Rule-in | ≥125 | Independent risk modifier |
Source: EAS 2022 Lp(a) Consensus Statement (ehac361).
Separately, the 2025 ESC/EAS Focused Update flags Lp(a) above roughly 50 mg/dL (~105 nmol/L) as a threshold that can upgrade a person from moderate to high risk — a risk-modifier framing distinct from, and additional to, the EAS consensus bands above. There is currently no approved Lp(a)-lowering therapy; when Lp(a) is elevated, guideline-directed management means controlling ApoB and LDL-C more aggressively and considering family (cascade) screening, since Lp(a) is inherited.
CardioIQ's report walks each marker through this same sequence — what was measured, how it compares to both the standard range and the risk-tiered optimal target, the guideline source behind that target, and what it means as one part of an overall picture. It is structured the way a lipidologist would explain a panel in clinic: nothing invented, nothing scored into a single number, no diagnosis rendered.
Preventive Cardiologist & Lipidologist · President, Georgian Atherosclerosis Association · National Coordinator, EAS Lipid Clinic Network (Georgia) · Co-author, EAS Consensus Paper, Atherosclerosis (2026)
For a closer look at Lp(a) specifically — inheritance, family screening, and current investigational therapies — see the complete Lp(a) guide. For the full ApoB framework, see the ApoB guide.
See how these targets apply to an actual panel — a physician-annotated walkthrough.
See a sample report →CardioIQ is an interpretation tool, not a diagnostic device. It does not diagnose, treat, or replace the treating physician; all findings should be discussed with a qualified physician.