Lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)]

What this test is

Lp(a) is a type of cholesterol particle. Your genes set your level, not your diet or exercise. A high level can raise your risk of heart disease. It can also affect your heart valves. Guidelines now say to check Lp(a) once in your life, as part of normal cholesterol testing. A high result can change how closely we watch your other risk factors, like blood pressure and cholesterol. There is no approved medicine that targets Lp(a). The main value of testing is knowing your risk, so everything else can be managed more closely. Most people only need this test once, ever.