Lipoprotein (a) - what does this mean?

[maisie_dazy]

Hello all,

After a visit to my G.P. today for a routine matter I was given a copy of a letter he'd received from the Lipid Consultant after our last consultation. It gave my blood results as

Cholesterol: 10.1 mmol/L

Triglyceride: 2.8 mmol/L

HDL-Cholesterol: 2.9 mmol/L

Lipoprotein(a) <57 mg/L (optimal ,300 mg/L)

The consultant had written "despite her high cholesterol concentration, she has a low

lipoprotine(a) concentration. When I asked my G.P. what this meant he admitted he

didn't really understand it.

Could anyone tell me what is meant by this as in previous blood results they haven't actually mentioned Lipoprotein(a).

I have been referred to genetic testing at last (mentioned in a previous post) but do not go back to see my lipid consultant until beginning of April. At the present time I am not on any medication due to very bad side effects from statins and Ezetimibe.

I have found this group to be very helpful and informative and would welcome, yet again, any advice and support you can give me.

Maisie

[Aliwally]

Hi Maisie,

I am not an expert and have never had my lp(a) measured, but other people have asked this question and it seems to be becoming more common to have it measured.

If you are a Dr Kendrick fan (I am!) he mentions it in his book as being probably the only lipoprotein that is worth measuring.

It's a lipoprotein with proteins attached and is thought to be an independent risk factor for heart disease. The following article is written in relatively plain English.

theheart.org/article/109049...

[maisie_dazy]

Hi Aliwally,

Thanks for the reply. I too am a Dr Kendrick fan and have one of his books. Never though to look there to be honest but will now and also check out the link you sent.

To my knowledge I have never previously had my lp(a) measured when I was seeing another consultant and like I said even my G.P,. had no answer.

It just shows we are not told everything about cholestrol related issues by our doctors so the more information we can gather together ourselves the better. I will be making a list of questions I need to ask my consultant about on my next visit and will obviously be sharing what I learn here.

Many thanks once again

[DakCB-UK]

Try and find heart UK video "carry on cholesterol" as I'm sure it's mentioned there. I think lpa is used to tag cholesterol for removal from the blood, so low lpa means low removal means high cholesterol levels. I may have misremembered that, so check.

[Aliwally]

Actually pages 28 and 29 in " The Great Cholesterol Con" give a clear explanation of what Lp(a) is, basically another form of LDL.

It is accompanied of course by Dr K's caustic comments which you may take or leave as you please!

[maisie_dazy]

Thanks both for your replies. I am now in the process of re-reading Dr K's book and have read article on SpaceDocs site about Lp(a). What I still cannot understand is why our doctors appear to know very little about this whole cholestrol business. My G.P. told me that he has recently been on a course about cholesterol (adding somewhat jokingly...."all because of you"...) and like I said in my original question he didn't know what Lp(a) was. This makes the mind boggle to think that doctors going on a specialised course to learn more on the subject are themselves not being given all the information available to pass onto their patients. In the end who suffers...people like us who go to our doctor for advice The majority of people take the doctors word as "law". "The doctor knows best" my mother used to say and people of her generation would never question what the doctor said but I think nowadays that phrase is totally past its sell by date!!

[ashokbapu]

LP(a) is an important indicator of caronary artery disease.it dangerous,harmfulpart of ldl cholestrol.LP(a) is soft plaque ,a sticky substance which deposits in the caronary artery and forms block in the artery in course of time.there are fine alternative nutritionalmedicines for controlling cholestrol.----like omega3 fish oil caps,niacin,coq 10,garlic,flax seedoil,,policosanol,ginkgo biloba,vitamin e are someof the powerful nutrients that will reduce cholestrol and strengthen heart.