Lipoprotein(a)
What is Lipoprotein(a)?
What Lp(a) levels are considered high?
Unlike measuring LDL cholesterol, measuring Lp(a) is not completely standardized yet. This means there is more than one way to report Lp(a) levels.
When you review your Lp(a) test results with your healthcare team, you should take note of which method of measurement is used: mg/dL, mg/L, or nmol/L.
If your Lp(a) was measured in mg/L you can easily convert to mg/dL by dividing your Lp(a) value by ten (1000 mg/L ÷ 10 = 100 mg/dL).
Your Lp(a) is high if it’s greater than:
- 125 nmol/L
OR - 50 mg/dL
What does it mean to have high Lp(a)?
The first thing to know is that your Lp(a) levels are for the most part genetically determined. You inherited your Lp(a) level from your parents, and your levels are unrelated to diet and lifestyle choices.
You can find out your Lp(a) levels with a simple blood test.
If you have high Lp(a), this is an independent causative risk factor for cardiovascular disease. High levels of Lp(a) can cause buildup of plaque in the arteries, development of blood clots, and inflammation.
If my Lp(a) level is high, what should I do?
If your Lp(a) is high, it is important to address and control all of your other heart-related risk factors. This might include cholesterol-lowering medications, including statins, and other medications that address heart-related risk.
You should also partner with your clinical care team to select approaches to control all your other heart-related risk factors.
How do genetics play a role in Lp(a)?
The amount of Lp(a) in your body is determined by the genes you received at birth from your parents.
Lp(a) reaches its adult level by around age 5 and generally remains relatively stable thereafter — except during acute illness, menopause, and when there are changes in kidney and thyroid function, which can all cause Lp(a) to increase. Lp(a) levels are unrelated to your lifestyle.
Do different ethnicities have different Lp(a) levels?
High Lp(a) occurs in all ethnicities, but it seems to be more common in Black and South Asian people than in white, Hispanic, or East Asian people.
More research and improved testing methods are needed to better understand the influence of race and ethnicity on Lp(a).