The heart health number that could SAVE your life

Allow me to let you in on a little secret…

There’s a heart health metric that’s far more important than any cholesterol reading.

It trumps high blood pressure, too!

But if you only see conventional medical doctors, it’s likely they’re not even monitoring it—let alone talking to you about it.

And that’s a HUGE oversight.

Because it’s one of the two most important numbers to know when determining heart disease risk.

A critical association

I’m talking about lipoprotein(a)—or Lp(a).

(The other important number you should know is your cardiac artery calcium score. But that’s for another day.)

Now, you might be wondering: If it’s so critical, why don’t we hear about it?

Because you can’t develop a drug for it—so researchers don’t bother studying it more.

(I guess that’s the price we pay for Big Pharma getting as rich as King Midas from their statin drugs. But I don’t know how many times I have to say it: Cholesterol likely isn’t the underlying culprit in heart disease!)

But consider this…

Many studies have shown an association between Lp(a) concentration and cardiovascular outcomes. The European (of course) Atherosclerosis Society (EAS) was the very first to recommend measuring Lp(a) at least once in your lifetime in 2019, based on these associations. And I have been interested in this marker for over 30 years. (All of my patients know their number!)

Lp(a) has pro-inflammatory and pro-atherosclerotic properties. That means it can promote harmful inflammation and dangerous thickening (or hardening) of the arteries. Both of which are risk factors for not only heart disease, but also stroke, heart attack, and more.

Why isn’t this in headlines?

Lipoprotein(a) is genetically determined, which means there aren’t any drugs available that can directly lower an individual’s levels. (Is it making sense now why you don’t hear about it?)

Of course, some medical experts lament there isn’t adequate testing either. And in a subheading of an article I recently read, it states: If you can get tested.

Meanwhile, I test every patient for Lp(a) and have for decades. So, what gives?

There is the issue of insurance. Naturally, they don’t want to pay for this test because it’s not deemed necessary. It’s been a constant battle my entire career.

But folks, this metric is vital.

As Alberico L. Catapano, MD, PhD, past president of the EAS, stated: “Lp(a) is not only a risk factor but is the cause of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD).” Wow!

At the end of the day, testing your Lp(a) is another tool in your arsenal so you can better manage your health—especially, heart disease risk factors.

Then, if your levels are high, you can make informed decisions and lifestyle changes to help keep heart disease (and other cardiovascular outcomes) at bay.

(For more insight about what you can do to prevent and reverse America’s top killers—including heart disease, heart attack, and stroke—check out my Ultimate Heart-Protection Protocol by clicking here.)

Everyone is rushing to get genetically tested for everything nowadays—some even demand it from their doctors. Testing for Lp(a) should be no different. Especially because you now have the “why” and the “what.”

Source:

“Is Elevated Lp(a) a Prescription for Aspirin?” Medscape, 07/02/2024. (medscape.com/viewarticle/elevated-lp-prescription-aspirin-2024a1000c7x)