Things You Can Do If You Have High Lp(a)
Discovering that you have elevated Lipoprotein(a) or Lp(a) levels can be concerning especially when you learn that conventional cholesterol medications don’t help to lower your Lp(a) values. The level of Lp(a) you have in your body is largely determined by your genes, and things like diet and exercise do not typically impact that level. However, people with elevated Lp(a) can still take preventive actions to lower their risk of heart attacks and strokes.
Get Regular Checkups
If you have elevated Lp(a) levels, it could increase your risk of heart attacks by 50 percent and nearly double the risk of having a stroke. For this reason it is even more important that you maintain regular checkups with your doctor and discuss your Lp(a) screening results with them so they can monitor, identify, and treat any other cardiovascular risk factors before you start to experience symptoms.
Manage Your Overall Cardiovascular Risks
For individuals with high Lp(a), managing conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure is extremely important. Control of these factors contributes to a comprehensive reduction in heart disease risk. This could mean a combination of lifestyle changes (weight management, not smoking, a nutritious diet, and regular physical activity) and medications which can work together toward helping you reduce your overall cardiovascular risk.
Talk to Your Family & Friends
Lp(a) is primarily genetic, meaning if you have high Lp(a), your relatives – including your parents, siblings, and children – may also have the genetic risk factor. About 60 million Americans are estimated to have high Lp(a), meaning that one in 5 of us have it. Discuss Lp(a) with family and friends and encourage them to get screened.
Consider Clinical Trials for Lp(a)
There are no currently approved medications for reducing Lp(a), but there are a number of clinical trials evaluating new investigational drugs. If you have high Lp(a), participating in a clinical trial may be an option for you. In addition to giving you potential access to treatments not yet available to everyone, participating in a clinical trial contributes to the development of effective treatments that could help others in the future.
Care Access helps bring clinical trial opportunities for investigational treatments for Lp(a) to communities around the globe.
CONTRIBUTING EXPERTS
Irving Loh, MD, FACC, FACP, FAHA, FCCP
Dr. Loh is a distinguished cardiologist based in Thousand Oaks, CA. He is dedicated to preventing cardiovascular disease and enhancing patient outcomes through his clinical practice and research initiatives. Dr. Loh has held appointments at UCLA School of Medicine, Cedar-Sinai Medical Center, and Stanford Medicine.
SOURCES
- Miksenas H, Januzzi JL, Natarajan P. Lipoprotein(a) and Cardiovascular Diseases. JAMA. 2021;326(4):352–353. doi:10.1001/jama.2021.3632