Little known Lp(a) indicated in heart attacks

Danish researchers said they have found the strongest evidence yet that an often ignored form of cholesterol can cause heart attacks. People with higher levels of a little-understood form of cholesterol called lipoprotein (a), which varies up to a thousand fold from one person to another, were also more likely to have heart attacks.

Statins -- taken by millions to cut heart attack and stroke risk -- do not affect lipoprotein (a).

The research, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, showed that people with the highest liporotein (a) levels were two to three times more likely to have a heart attack than those with the lowest levels. Lipoprotein (a) is one of several forms of cholesterol found in the blood, with levels determined almost entirely by genetics.

To show the role of lipoprotein (a) role in heart attacks, the Danish team analyzed the genes of 45,000 men and women who gave blood samples for a large national survey starting in 1976, tested their lipoprotein (a) levels and then followed them until 2007.

People with the highest levels of this cholesterol had the most heart attacks, the study found. One certain genetic variation accounted for about a quarter of the cases of high lipoprotein (a).

"Liprotein (a) has been around for a long time as a risk factor but people hadn't taken it too seriously because they didn't think it caused heart attacks," Nordestgaard said.

Niacin, a vitamin often prescribed generically to lower cholesterol, also lowers lipoprotein (a) levels. Aspirin can also lower lipoprotein (a) levels.

Bonnie - as I stated on my website as far back as 2002, Lp(a) is an important factor in screening for heart disease beyond just cholesterol.