Lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)]
Heart & circulation markersWhat the test generally measures, and what to ask about it.
Longetic keeps every lab and record you’ve had organized and easy to find, so your own Lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] values sit together on one chart and you walk into your next appointment prepared.
What is Lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)]?
A specific, largely inherited type of bad cholesterol particle that tends to be stickier than usual.
Your Lp(a) level is set mostly by your genes and stays fairly stable for life, so it can reveal an inherited layer of heart-and-stroke risk that a standard cholesterol test may miss. A higher Lp(a) can be associated with greater risk of heart disease, heart attack, and stroke even when other cholesterol numbers look fine. It is usually tested once rather than routinely; the 2018 ACC/AHA guideline treats an Lp(a) of 50 mg/dL (or 125 nmol/L) or above as a risk-enhancing factor and notes a relative indication to measure it with a family history of premature cardiovascular disease.
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References
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