People often ask, what is the lipoprotein (a) (Lp (a)) on the blood lipid test report? Why is it that only this indicator abnormally increases when other blood lipid indicators are normal in some people? I only measured a few tens of Lp (a) values at Hospital A, why does Hospital B measure over a hundred? Let’s first understand what Lp (a) really is?
The two common blood lipid components in clinical practice are cholesterol and triglycerides. And cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood are mainly present in lipoproteins, which include chylomicrons, extremely low-density lipoprotein, intermediate density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein, and lipoprotein (a). Lp (a), similar to low-density lipoprotein, also promotes atherosclerosis and increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as myocardial infarction and cerebral infarction. But unlike low-density lipoprotein, it cannot be converted from extremely low density lipoprotein, nor can it be converted into other lipoproteins. It is an independent class of lipoproteins synthesized by the liver. Elevated Lp (a) is an independent risk factor for various cardiovascular diseases, including coronary heart disease, ischemic stroke, and calcific aortic valve stenosis.
So why do some people have normal blood lipid indicators, but only this indicator abnormally increases?
Individual plasma Lp (a) levels are mainly determined by genetic factors and are generally not affected by gender, age, weight, moderate physical exercise, and cholesterol lowering drugs, thus maintaining relative stability throughout life. That’s why some people have normal blood lipid indicators, but this indicator is abnormally high. Experts suggest that the general population should be measured at least once, and Lp (a) should be screened for people who are at high risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, who have a family history of early onset atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (men90 mg/dL (200 nmol/L), family hypercholesterolemia or other hereditary dyslipidemia, and calcific aortic stenosis.
Why does the same person measure only a few tens of lipoprotein (a) values in Hospital A, and hundreds more in Hospital B?
The commonly used clinical laboratory testing units for Lp (a) include mass units (mg/dL) and molar units (nmol/L). The International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (IFCC) advocates the use of “mmol/L” as the reporting unit for Lp (a), but currently, most clinical practice and research still use “mass concentration (mg/dL)” units. The expert group believes that the cut-off point mass unit for the increased risk of Lp (a) is about 30-50 mg/dL, and the molar unit is about 75-125 nmol/L. When receiving the report, we should pay attention to distinguishing units and not only focus on numerical values, and the two unit values cannot be directly converted.
Lp (a) is very high, what should I do?
So far, there is a lack of effective treatment methods to reduce Lp (a) levels, and there are no drugs approved specifically for reducing Lp (a). However, we should not let it go. For patients with elevated Lp (a), first, we should reduce the overall risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, and second, we should control other clinically significant dyslipidemia.
blood glucose monitoring system, lipid panel monitoring system, hemoglobin monitoring system, uric acid monitoring system, uric acid monitoring system, SARS-CoV-2 rapid test, Infectious disease test kits, women healthcare test
Post time: Jan-30-2024