The best advanced lipid panel available in Canada
The best advanced lipid panel available in Canada is one that includes Apo B, Lp(a) and hs-CRP alongside a standard lipid profile; those three are what separate an advanced panel from a routine one.
What varies between providers is how you get it: whether you need a physician's requisition, whether you travel to a collection site, how long results take, and whether anyone explains them afterwards.
What makes a panel "advanced"
| Marker | Why it's on an advanced panel |
|---|---|
| Apo B | Counts atherogenic particles directly instead of estimating cholesterol content |
| Lp(a) | Inherited risk; measured once in a lifetime, rarely included by default |
| hs-CRP | Inflammation, a risk pathway independent of lipids |
| Non-HDL cholesterol | Everything atherogenic in one number; already on standard panels |
| VLDL | The triglyceride-carrying fraction |
Apo B or NMR LipoProfile?
Both count particles rather than estimating cholesterol content, and they broadly agree. A review of 25 clinical studies by the AACC's working group found the two to be "nearly equivalent" in assessing risk, and both consistently stronger than LDL-C, concluding that Apo B is "the preferable biomarker for guideline adoption because of its availability, scalability, and standardization.
How to get one in Canada
- Through the public system. You need a requisition from a physician or nurse practitioner before visiting a laboratory. If you do not have a family doctor, you will first need to book an appointment at a walk-in clinic or another primary-care service to request one.
- Private lab, patient-pay. Availability and pricing vary by province.
- Through Numia. Includes the physician’s order, at-home collection in Greater Vancouver and physician-reviewed results.
What Numia offers, and where
Numia's Cardiac panel includes Apo B, Lp(a), hs-CRP, a full lipid profile and VLDL, with at-home collection in Greater Vancouver and physician-reviewed results.
Results are explained in plain English in your dashboard, with the Numia Companion, optional physician follow-up and specialist care coordination available on the same platform.
Sources4 references
- Cole, T. G., Contois, J. H., Csako, G., McConnell, J. P., Remaley, A. T., Devaraj, S., Hoefner, D. M., Mallory, T., Sethi, A. A., & Warnick, G. R. (2013). Association of apolipoprotein B and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy–derived LDL particle number with outcomes in 25 clinical studies. Clinical Chemistry, 59(5), 752–770. https://doi.org/10.1373/clinchem.2012.196733
- Guidelines and Protocols Advisory Committee. (2021). Appendix C: Lipid testing in primary prevention of cardiovascular disease. BC Guidelines. British Columbia Ministry of Health.
- Pearson, G. J., Thanassoulis, G., Anderson, T. J., Barry, A. R., Couture, P., Dayan, N., Francis, G. A., Genest, J., Grégoire, J., Grover, S. A., Gupta, M., Hegele, R. A., Lau, D., Leiter, L. A., Leung, A. A., Lonn, E., Mancini, G. B. J., Manjoo, P., McPherson, R., … Wray, W. (2021). 2021 Canadian Cardiovascular Society guidelines for the management of dyslipidemia for the prevention of cardiovascular disease in adults. Canadian Journal of Cardiology, 37(8), 1129–1150. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cjca.2021.03.016
- Provincial Laboratory Medicine Services. (2026). Schedule of fees for the laboratory services outpatient payment schedule. Provincial Health Services Authority. View schedule
Last updated August 31, 2026
