science
Canadian Doctors Publish Updated Guidance on Lipoprotein(a) Screening for Heart Risk
A group of Canadian doctors has released new guidance to raise awareness of Lipoprotein(a) testing among family physicians. The recommendations emphasize one-time screening for all adults to detect high levels that increase heart attack and stroke risks. About one in five Canadians may be affected, with genetic factors playing a key role.
Apr 26, 4:00 AM·3m read1 source
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A group of Canadian doctors published updated guidance this month in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology, aiming to increase awareness among family physicians about Lipoprotein(a), or Lp(a), a genetically determined cholesterol-carrying particle that heightens the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
The guidance, created by the Canadian Lp(a) Working Group, builds on past recommendations that have strongly suggested one-time screening for Lp(a) for all Canadian adults. This aligns with recommendations released last month by the American College of Cardiology.
CBC reported that about one in five Canadians—roughly eight million people—have high levels of Lp(a), putting them at greater risk of a heart attack or stroke. Lp(a) can also promote inflammation, increasing the risk of plaques rupturing.
According to the updated guidance, a person has an elevated risk of cardiovascular events if Lp(a) levels are equal to or greater than 100 nanomoles per litre, with even higher risk at levels equal to or greater than 190 nanomoles per litre. 'When we consider all of the potential things to be measured, this is a very important one to prevent one of the most common causes of death amongst Canadians,' said one of the authors of the updated guidance.
'If it's elevated, an individual may have a two- to four-fold increased risk of a cardiovascular event, and there are things we can do to lower the individual's risk,' said an expert. Lp(a) levels are mostly determined by genes and unlikely to shift over a lifetime, though they increase during pregnancy and in post-menopausal women.
