High lipoprotein(a) raises heart attack risk even in healthy people
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- Reviewed by Christopher P. Cannon, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Heart Letter; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
High blood levels of lipoprotein(a), or Lp(a) — a variant of LDL cholesterol — may triple the risk of a heart attack, even among people with no other risks for heart disease, a new study confirms.
The study included 6,238 people ages 43 to 65 who had their Lp(a) levels measured. Values in the top 10% — 216 nanomoles per liter (nmol/L) or greater — were defined as high, while values in the lower 50% — less than 42 nmol/L — were defined as low. Most had conditions or habits that raised their heart disease risk, known as standard modifiable risk factors (SMuRFs). These include diabetes, high blood pressure, smoking, and unfavorable cholesterol levels. While about 4% of the study participants had all four SMuRFs, nearly 24% had none.
Over a median follow-up period of nearly nine years, high Lp(a) levels were linked to nearly triple the risk of heart attack, regardless of the presence or number of SMuRFs a person had. Having a high Lp(a) was equivalent to having two SMuRFs. The findings support more widespread Lp(a) testing, according to the authors, whose study was published May 21, 2024, in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
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About the Author
Julie Corliss, Executive Editor, Harvard Heart Letter
About the Reviewer
Christopher P. Cannon, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Heart Letter; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
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