Heart disease, including heart attacks, is the number one cause of death around the world. One of the main types of heart disease is Coronary Heart Disease (CHD), which happens when the blood vessels that supply your heart get clogged with fat and other materials—just like a pipe gets blocked.
Doctors usually check your levels of “bad cholesterol,” also known as LDL, to figure out your risk. You may have also heard of “good cholesterol” or HDL.
But there’s another type of “bad cholesterol” that most people haven’t heard of. It’s called Lp(a), short for lipoprotein(a). And it’s now getting attention because it seems to play a major role in repeat heart problems—especially for older adults who have already had a heart issue.
A new study from Australia shows that seniors aged 60 and older who’ve had heart disease before are more likely to have another heart problem if their Lp(a) levels are high. The study followed 607 older Australians for 16 years. All of them had some history of heart disease.
The research, led by Professor Leon Simons from the University of New South Wales Sydney, found that people who experienced another heart-related issue had, on average, higher levels of Lp(a) compared to those who didn’t.
In fact, more than one in four of those who had another heart event had very high levels of Lp(a). The most striking part? If your Lp(a) level was in the top 20% compared to others in the study, your chance of having another heart issue went up by 53%.
This matters because regular cholesterol-lowering medicines, like statins, don’t really work on Lp(a). That’s why this study is such a game-changer.
It suggests doctors should start testing for Lp(a) too, especially in older patients who’ve already had heart problems. Knowing your Lp(a) level could help doctors better understand your risk and come up with a more targeted treatment plan.
There’s also good news on the horizon. New drugs specifically designed to lower Lp(a) are in the final stages of development and testing. Professor Simons is hopeful that once these drugs are approved, they could be a powerful new way to stop heart problems from coming back—particularly in older adults.
Like all research, this study has a few limitations. It started back in the 1980s, so the health care environment and treatments were a bit different. Still, the main message is clear: Lp(a) is a stable and serious risk factor for heart disease over time, and it needs more attention.
In short, if you’ve had heart problems before and you’re over 60, checking your Lp(a) level could be just as important as monitoring your regular cholesterol. While current treatments may not fix high Lp(a), help may be on the way. And that could mean better heart health and a lower chance of repeat heart attacks in the future.
The study was published in Current Medical Research and Opinion.
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