Comment by Tempest1981
9 months ago
Summarizing:
- Get a regular physical, or at least a blood test. (Don't wait 5 or 10 years)
- If it shows cholesterol issues, get an advanced lipids blood test, which can indicate whether it's caused by genetics (LipoA/ApoB?)
- If eating and exercise alone aren't helping, consider taking statins for cardiovascular health
- Consider a CT scan to check for calcium build-up, which is not reversible (afaik)
fwiw, I think the advice is much more than just "eat well and exercise".
You really should push for an ApoB test in general - most people are bit by LDL-C and not other atherogenic particles like Lp(a), but it's still common enough to find out. The good news is Lp(a) is largely genetic so if you know you have low levels you likely don't need to test again anytime soon.
A CAC will show calcified build-up, not reversible (or at least not in any appreciable way)
A CTA will show soft plaque buildup, which IS reversible with a low enough atherogenic particle load. This generally means keeping your LDL-C below the 50-70 range, though if Lp(a) is the cause you'll likely need a PKCS9 inhibitor or an upcoming CETP inhibitor to drive it down.
A regular lipid panel won't test for Lp(a) which is genetic. So you need to test specifically for Lp(a) once in your lifetime because you need to know your risk factors. The test was $35.20 when I had it done by LabCorp last year. 20-30% of the population (including me) have high Lp(a). Statins don't reduce Lp(a).