DEAR DR. ROACH: I’m a healthy 50-year-old woman. I asked my doctor to test me for Lipoprotein(a) after reading about it. My level was high, at 41 mg/dL. My doctor told me that it didn’t need to be treated since I don’t have any other risk factors for heart disease. When and how should a high Lp(a) level be treated? — K.P.

ANSWER: Lp(a) (called “lipoprotein little A”) is an independent risk factor for heart disease compared to total or LDL cholesterol. It is important to look for Lp(a) when a person has a personal or strong family history of heart disease without many other risk factors.

A level of 41 mg/dL is increased but does not put you at a very high risk for heart disease in absence of other factors. The risk increases as Lp(a) levels increase. Levels above 180 mg/dL place a perso

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