News

Ethnicity and deprivation affect Lp(a) testing in clinical practice 

July 30, 2024

Black and Hispanic patients with or at risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) are less likely to have Lp(a) testing than White and Asian heritage patients, as are individuals on Medicaid or living in socioeconomically deprived neighbourhoods. This is the finding from a retrospective analysis of electronic medical records of adults treated through Columbia University […]

Higher Lp(a) linked to faster haemodynamic progression in aortic stenosis 

July 22, 2024

Higher plasma Lp(a) concentrations are associated with faster rates of haemodynamic progression on echocardiography in patients with aortic stenosis. This is the finding from an analysis of five longitudinal clinical studies carried out from March 2001-April 2024 in Canada and the UK, in which progression was assessed by annualised change in peak aortic jet velocity, […]

Remembering Akira Endo and the beginning of the ‘statin era’ 

July 8, 2024

Dr Jonathan Tobert, University of Oxford, UK, recalls the landmark statin research by Dr Akira Endo that has saved countless lives.  The discovery of statins by Japanese scientist, Akira Endo, who died on June 5 at the age of 90 has helped prevent countless unnecessary deaths in the 35 years since the start of the […]

Spotlight on Lp(a) atherogenic mechanisms

May 10, 2024

Lp(a)-associated diacylglycerols (DAGs) and lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) have a potential role in Lp(a)-induced monocyte inflammation, according to new research investigating the atherogenicity of Lp(a).

Elevated Lp(a) linked to MACE irrespective of ASCVD history

March 20, 2024

Elevated Lp(a) is independently associated with long-term major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), irrespective of whether patients have a history of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD).

Canadian guidelines drive Lp(a) testing

March 19, 2024

A Canadian Cardiovascular Society recommendation for measuring Lp(a) at least once in a patient’s lifetime published in 2021 has had a considerable early impact on testing in the western province of Alberta. During two years after publication, 33,249 patients had a total of 37,456 Lp(a) tests.