You May Have a Dangerous Type of Cholesterol Even if Your Tests Look Normal

Lipoprotein(a), or Lp(a), is an inherited cholesterol particle that is usually not measured in routine lipid tests.

High Lp(a) is linked to greater risk of heart attacks, strokes, and aortic valve disease, even in people who otherwise look healthy.

Current drugs such as statins and PCSK9 inhibitors only modestly lower Lp(a), so the risk often remains hidden.

Researchers are now testing gene-silencing therapies from companies like Novartis, Amgen, and Eli Lilly that could offer the first targeted treatment.