The LPA blood test is used to determine if there are elevated levels of a specific lipoprotein in the blood. LPA is considered a direct risk factor in the development of cardiovascular disease. It is often ordered with other cholesterol blood tests to determine what an individual’s overall risk for disease development happen to be.
What makes the LPA blood test unique is the fact that this specific lipoprotein happens to be determined by genetics instead of lifestyle choices. An individual’s LPA levels tend to stay fairly constant over the course of a lifetime. This means it is rarely the target of therapies. The information obtained is used to determine if other risk factors need to be treated in a more aggressive fashion.
The good news is that for most individuals, this blood test only needs to be conducted once. Increased risks occur for women who have gone through menopause and LPA numbers can be affected by the presence of a fever or illness. A second test may be ordered if a person’s health is suspected to have been not optimal during the first test.
What Do My Test Results Mean?
The LPA blood test is not commonly ordered even when there are suspicions of high cholesterol numbers. Individuals who have a long family history of cardiovascular disease development at an early age will typically have it ordered, especially if the disease development cannot be explained by their LDL or HDL numbers. It may also be ordered to determine the cause of early cardiovascular disease development or in individuals who have had a heart attack or stroke, but have good cholesterol numbers.
A positive result on this blood test typically means that an individual has a higher risk of cardiovascular or cerebral vascular disease development. High results typically mean that the risk factors are present and the treatment plan will then shift to lowering LDL levels while raising HDL levels more aggressively. This typically involves the use of statins, dietary changes, and additional exercise.
A negative result on the LPA blood test is medically insignificant at this time. Having low LPA levels has no known health consequences. It is possible to have no detectable levels of LPA in the blood without ill effect.
Why Would a Doctor Treat My LPA Levels?
Most medical providers are not going to attempt to lower LPA levels because of its genetic predisposition. Certain items, such as niacin, have been known to temporarily lower LPA numbers, but this change does not last very long. A few people do respond to treatments, however, so when there are numerous risk factors for cardiovascular disease present, some doctors may feel like the gamble to alter LPA levels is worthwhile.
Here’s What You Need To Know About LPA
The LPA blood test is generally ordered with other lipid profiles. Although no fasting is required for this specific test since it is genetic in nature, the other blood tests may require up to 12 hours of fasting. Always be sure to follow the instructions of the medical provider leading up to the blood test for accurate results.
The LPA blood test should be postponed if an infection is present somewhere in the body. The presence of a fever may also affect the test results. Excessive alcohol can affect readings if consumed immediately before the test is administered. Major health issues, such as a heart attack, stroke, major surgery, or the presence of uncontrolled diabetes require a 4 week waiting before before the blood test can be administered.
People who are fasting for a prolonged period of time will also have inaccurate LPA blood test results. Women who are pregnant should not be tested. Rapid weight loss may also create inaccurate numbers. These conditions may all temporarily increase the levels of LPA that someone may have in their blood and create an inaccurate treatment plan.
When there is a family history of early onset cardiovascular disease, aggressive treatment plans are often initiated to prolong life and maintain health for as long as possible. The LPA blood test helps to find lipids that could be increasing a person’s risk even though other cholesterol numbers are within normal ranges. This test may not be right for everyone, but it can be a life-saving test for those who fit the profile of a good candidate.
Use this guide to discuss this issue with your medical provider at your next appointment to determine if the LPA blood test is right for you.