Lp(a) and cardiovascular risk: What you should know

Summary: Lipoprotein(a), or Lp(a), is a type of cholesterol particle that strongly increases your risk for heart disease. Unlike regular cholesterol, your Lp(a) levels are almost entirely decided by your genetics, meaning healthy eating and exercise won't lower them. About 1 in 5 people have dangerous levels of Lp(a).

Currently, there are no approved medicines specifically made to lower it. Because of this, doctors recommend that adults get tested for Lp(a) at least once in their lifetime. If your levels are high, the best defense is to aggressively treat other things you can control, like blood pressure, weight, and regular LDL cholesterol.

For more details, see Healio at healio.com/news/cardiology/20260526/lpa-and-cardiovascular-risk-what-you-should-know (opens in new tab)