Homocysteine, serum level

Short Name: HOMOC
Sample required: Serum
Result Time: 1 Days

Homocysteine is a sulfur-containing amino acid. In healthy subjects, it cannot be detected because it is all converted into cysteine. However, homocysteine can be detected in the blood of 20% of patients with vascular disease (high levels of homocysteine are directly damaging to vessel walls). Such build-up can be due to an acquired problem like vitamin deficiency (B6, B12 or folate) or a genetic trait (methyltetrahydrofolate-homocysteine S-methyltransferase deficiency). There has been recent interest in the use of this test in the evaluation of risk of cerebral and coronary vascular disease.