ApoBApolipoprotein B

ApoB (apolipoprotein B) is a protein found on the potentially artery-clogging (atherogenic) lipoprotein particles in your blood — chiefly LDL. Because there is one ApoB molecule per particle, measuring it counts those particles directly.

It matters because the number of atherogenic particles can be a more precise indicator of cardiovascular risk than standard LDL cholesterol alone, particularly when LDL looks reassuring but particle number is high.

In practice, ApoB is a simple blood test increasingly recommended for refining risk; a lower level is generally more favourable, with targets set by overall risk.

Sources

• American College of Cardiology. An Update on Lipoprotein(a) and ApoB, 2023 (context on ApoB in risk assessment)