Despite seismic advances in medical care with more sophisticated technology to unblock our arteries, medications that substantially reduce our cholesterol levels and more precise dietary advice heart disease still tops the list of diseases that prematurely terminate life in the Western world. One of the reasons might be a hidden menace called lipoprotein (a) a substance that like LDL, the so-called bad cholesterol, has the capacity to increase the formation of blood clots and enhance the accumulation of plaque that obstructs our blood vessels increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke. It is genetically predetermined which means there is no diet we can embrace to limit how much we make. It’s a concern that I’ve alluded to in ‘You have the power’ and ‘The Wellness Guide to Preventing the Diseases of Ageing.’ There is some evidence that the antioxidants Coenzyme Q10 and Acetyl-L-Carnitine might lower lipoprotein (a), as might testosterone in men.
Fresh research has demonstrated that an injection of olpasiran, a small interfering RNA molecule, significantly reduced lipoprotein(a) concentrations in patients with established atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease by 95% with only one administration. While groundbreaking this substance is not yet commercially available.
For those desiring a more inclusive cardiovascular disease and stroke risk assessment measuring lipoprotein (a) will provide possibly actionable information that might reduce the likelihood of falling a victim of these devastating yet preventable disorders.
