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The Hidden Lp(a) Risk to Your Heart: It C(a)n Be You

By   ·  3 minute read

Your heart. It’s a very busy organ. It beats more than 110,000 times a day. Those beats pump an impressive amount of blood to the outer reaches of your body and back to your lungs. Up to 2,000 gallons every day. The heart is so amazing and unique that it can keep beating even outside of your body, and the cells of your heart don’t divide like all the other cells. That’s why heart cancer is rare. Your precious heart is worth protecting against all diseases.  

February has been American Heart Month since President Lyndon B. Johnson issued the first proclamation in 1964. Like millions of Americans, he had heart disease. Since then, U.S. presidents have annually declared February a time when everyone, but especially women, are encouraged to focus on their heart health. Women’s Heart Week is in February’s first week. Sponsored by the AHA, the aim is to educate, raise awareness, and teach the symptoms and preventions of serious heart diseases in women. 

Heart disease. If you live in the U.S., it’s unlikely you don’t have a sense of what it is—thanks to organizations like the American Heart Association (AHA), Heart.org, and the American College of Cardiology. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men, women, and people of most racial and ethnic groups. In 2022, one in every five deaths in the United States was caused by heart disease, and one in 13 people are presently living with heart disease.  

Viaro has heart disease screenings and awareness programs, some specific to women. If you have a history of heart illnesses in your family, now is a good time to speak to your provider. They routinely check those conditions known to be associated with heart disease, like high blood pressure and elevated cholesterol. Lowering your risk is critical, especially with the things you can control. You will also hear from your provider to not smoke, get adequate exercise, and watch your diet. 

Genetics. There is one risk factor that you can’t control. Through a once in a lifetime blood test, you can identify a risk factor that is buried in a normal cholesterol level. It’s a part of your cholesterol called lipoprotein (a) or Lp(a). It was identified in 1963, and recently, the association between heart disease and LP(a) has become clear. Studies have shown there is an independent association between Lp(a) and the development of cardiovascular disease, peripheral vascular disease, and aortic calcification.  

If you are a healthy person with a normal cholesterol or lipids, you may wonder why does Lp(a) even exist? Lp(a) protects you because it is an important part of wound healing and blood clotting. It has two parts. One is called apolipoprotein B, which is part of your bad cholesterol or low-density lipoproteins (LDL). The other is apolipoprotein (a). Between the two, they play a part in the deposit of a sticky plaque in your arteries, and the development of heart disease, hardening of your arteries, and blockages that can cause a heart attack and stroke. 

Lp(a) carries around oxidized or chemically changed lipids which cause inflammation. With inflammation, the cholesterol plaques that form in your arteries become unstable. Lp(a) also slows down the breakdown of fibrin. Fibrin's primary function is to provide a structure for the blood clot to form. Between the formation of fibrin and blood clots, these mechanisms might cause a blockage in your arteries that supply your heart and brain. 

Testing for Lp(a). The standards of care are slowly recognizing the value of testing for Lp(a) and apolipoprotein B, and the current thought is only a single lifetime test for Lp(a) is necessary. It’s an easy test that can be done at the same time as a standard lipid panel.  

Your health care providers play a critical role in determining your heart disease risk factors—but it’s all about shared decision making based on your personal or family history of heart disease. If you learn you have an elevated Lp(a), your providers awareness can lead to the necessary more aggressive treatment of your overall risk factors, including low density lipoproteins, high blood pressure, and blood glucose. When you have a high Lp(a), prompt evaluation of any new signs and symptoms of heart disease is critical.  

At a minimum, Lp(a) screening should be made available for you if you are at high-risk. Talk to your healthcare providers at Viaro. They will make sure you have the best and most current information regarding heart disease and ensure if you are one of those at high risk for heart disease that you have access to the necessary screenings and treatment.  

Here are the reasons why your healthcare provider would want to check you Lp(a): 

  • You have a biological family history of heart disease 
  • You have been diagnosed with familial hypercholesterolemia 
  • Your LDL levels were high on your most recent lipid panel test 
  • You have a history of premature coronary artery disease in either you or your family 
  • You have had recurrent heart events like heart attacks or stroke despite having rigorous management of your disease 
  • You have a family member with elevated Lp(a) 

The different kinds of cholesterol may feel confusing. If your healthcare provider is talking to you about Lp(a), make sure to ask questions so you understand why. Deciding your risk for heart disease is a very important discussion between you and your provider.  

Teresa Pulvermacher, FNP-C 

President, Viarohealth 

For questions or comments, contact wellness@viarohealth.com  

References 

The state of women’s heart health: A path to improved health and financial outcomes. McKinsey Health Institute, June 2024. 

Lipoprotein (a): Screening and Care in the High-Risk Cardiovascular Disease Patient. The Journal for Nurse Practitioners 21(2025). 

Lipoprotein (a). The Cleveland Clinic Health Library. August 2023. 

https://www.heart.org/en/around-the-aha/february-is-american-heart-month