“๐๐๐๐๐๐” ๐๐ข๐ฉ๐จ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ญ๐๐ข๐ง (๐) ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ “๐๐๐” ๐๐๐๐ฅ! ๐๐ ๐ง๐จ๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ข๐ญ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ซ๐ข๐จ๐ฎ๐ฌ ๐ฆ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ค๐.
Have you considered why some young adults with “healthy” cholesterol and LDL levels still suffer heart attacks? The answer is clear: the often-overlooked lipid particles pose hidden dangers. Let’s explore one such lipid particle that could increase our risk of heart attack.
While LDL cholesterol often takes the spotlight, Lipoprotein (a) (Lp(a)) represents a crucial independent risk factor for Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease (ASCVD). Lp(a) is two and a half times more atherogenic than LDL, and it drives inflammation and clotting, aggressively promoting plaque formation in our arteries.
Genetically inherited in an autosomal dominant manner, elevated Lp(a) levels can affect up to 20% of those in India.
Who should be tested?
Therefore, leading cardiovascular organizations advocate for testing Lp(a) levels in individuals with:
1.โ โ A family history of premature ASCVD
2.โ โ Unexplained or recurrent ASCVD
3.โ โ A history of ischemic stroke
4.โ โ Family members with elevated Lp(a)
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ฌ๐ก๐จ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ ๐ฐ๐ ๐๐จ ๐๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐๐ข๐ฉ๐จ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ญ๐๐ข๐ง (๐)?
1.โ โ Embrace ๐ฎ๐ง๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐๐ฅ ๐ฌ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ง๐ข๐ง๐ for high-risk individuals.
2.โ โ Engage in ๐๐ ๐ ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐ฏ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐๐ ๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ of traditional cardiovascular risk factors.
3.โ โ Adopt ๐ก๐๐๐ฅ๐ญ๐ก๐ฒ ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐ฒ๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ก๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฌ through the “DASH” program:
• ๐- Diet: Commit to a whole-food, plant-based diet
• ๐- Aactive living: Cultivate regular yoga, meditation, Pranayama or exercise and daily walking,
• ๐- stress management: optimize stress, sleep, social connections, and spiritual health
• ๐- habit changes: Dedicate yourself to smoking cessation and alcohol avoidance
4.โ โ Consider ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฐ-๐๐จ๐ฌ๐ ๐๐ฌ๐ฉ๐ข๐ซ๐ข๐ง for prevention.
5.โ โ Utilize ๐๐๐๐-๐ ๐ข๐ง๐ก๐ข๐๐ข๐ญ๐จ๐ซ๐ฌ like Inclisiran and look forward to innovative RNA-based therapies such as Pelacarsen and Olpasiran shortly
