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An Lp(a) test can help inform next steps for your premature CVD patients and their family members.

Elevated Lp(a) and Looking Forward

Elevated Lp(a) may be an important piece to the puzzle for people with a personal or family history of premature ASCVD. Watch the video to see how an Lp(a) test can empower your patients to take charge of their CV health.1,2

Elevated Lp(a) levels defined as ≥50 mg/dL or ≥125 nmol/L.1

Lp(a) Testing Matters: A Real-World Perspective From Stephanie J Saucier, MD, FACC, RPVI

Next Steps for Your Patients

Currently there are no FDA-approved pharmacotherapies to decrease Lp(a) levels. But there are still many steps you can take right now to help your patients with elevated Lp(a).1

An elevated Lp(a) diagnosis can help drive conversations with your patients about management of their other modifiable CV risk factors, treatment initiation, adherence, and lifestyle behaviors1-4

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  • Understanding the role that elevated Lp(a) can play in familial CV risk may help reinforce proactive and heart-healthy behaviors in both patients and their family members1-6

Patients who have had a CV event are at increased risk for a recurrence7-10

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  • Optimized management of other modifiable CV risk factors in patients with elevated Lp(a) (defined as ≥50 mg/dL or ≥125 nmol/L) is important to sufficiently reduce overall CV risk1,4,11,12 

If your patients have elevated Lp(a), testing their family members can uncover those who may also be at risk1,13

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  • Lp(a) levels are ~90% genetically determined5,6

  • Cascade screening of first-degree relatives of patients with elevated Lp(a) can identify additional individuals at risk for ASCVD1,13

  

Lp(a) testing may help provide a deeper understanding of your patients currently considered at a lower risk11,14

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  • Elevated levels of Lp(a) can increase baseline risk for a CV event11

  • Lp(a) testing has been shown to improve the accuracy of CV risk stratification14

Programs and communities are available to support people living with elevated Lp(a).

ASCVD, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease; CV, cardiovascular; CVD, cardiovascular disease; Lp(a), Lipoprotein (a).
 
References: 1. Koschinsky ML, Bajaj A, Boffa MB, et al. A focused update to the 2019 NLA scientific statement on use of lipoprotein(a) in clinical practice. J Clin Lipidol. 2024;18(3):e308-e319. 2. Wilson DP, Jacobson TA, Jones PH, et al. Use of Lipoprotein(a) in clinical practice: a biomarker whose time has come. A scientific statement from the National Lipid Association. J Clin Lipidol. 2019;13(3):374-392. 3. Grundy SM, Stone NJ, Bailey AL, et al. 2018 AHA/ACC/AACVPR/AAPA/ABC/ACPM/ADA/AGS/APhA/ASPC/NLA/PCNA guideline on the management of blood cholesterol. Circulation. 2019;139(25):e1082-e1143. 4. Virani SS, Koschinsky ML, Maher L, et al. Global think tank on the clinical considerations and management of lipoprotein(a): the top questions and answers regarding what clinicians need to know. Prog Cardiovasc Dis. 2022;7:32-40. 5. Tsimikas S. A test in context: lipoprotein(a): diagnosis, prognosis, controversies, and emerging therapies. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2017;69(6):692-711. 6. Reyes-Soffer G, Ginsburg H, Berglund L, et al. Lipoprotein(a): a genetically determined, causal, and prevalent risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease: a scientific statement from the American Heart Association. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2022;42(1):e48-e60. 7. MacDougall DE, Tybjærg-Hansen A, Knowles JW, et al. Lipoprotein(a) and recurrent atherosclerotic cardiovascular events: the US Family Heart Database. Eur Heart J. 2025 May 7:ehaf297. Published online May 7, 2025. 8. Welsh P, Zabiby AA, Byrne H, et al. Elevated lipoprotein(a) increases risk of subsequent major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) and coronary revascularisation in incident ASCVD patients: a cohort study from the UK Biobank. Atherosclerosis. 2024;389:1-8. 9. Madsen CM, Kamstrup PR, Langsted A, et al. Lipoprotein(a)-lowering by 50 mg/dL (105 nmol/L) may be needed to reduce cardiovascular disease 20% in secondary prevention. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2020;40:255-266. 10. Berman AN, Biery DW, Besser SA, et al. Lipoprotein(a) and major adverse cardiovascular events in patients with or without baseline atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2024;83(9):873-886. 11. Kronenberg F, Mora S, Stroes ESG, et al. Lipoprotein(a) in atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and aortic stenosis: a European Atherosclerosis Society consensus statement. Eur Heart J. 2022;43(39):3925-3946. 12. Thanassoulis G. Screening for high lipoprotein(a). Circulation. 2019;139(12):1493-1496. 13. Chakraborty A, Chan D, Ellis K, et al. Cascade testing for elevated lipoprotein(a) in relatives of probands with familial hypercholesterolaemia and elevated lipoprotein(a). Am J Prev Cardiol. 2022;349:219-226. 14. Willeit P, Kiechl S, Kronenberg F, et al. Discrimination and net reclassification of cardiovascular risk with lipoprotein(a). J Am Coll Cardiol. 2014;64(9):851-860.