LDL Cholesterol and Lp(a) Levels Can Be Predictors for Future Cardiovascular Disease in Women, Study Says

Researchers have found that “measuring two types of fat in the bloodstream along with C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker of inflammation, can predict a woman’s risk for cardiovascular disease decades later.” NIH's website has the release.

As part of the study, “investigators collected blood samples and medical information from 27,939 health care providers living in the United States who participated in the Women’s Health Study. Women, who started the study between 1992-1995 at an average age of 55, were followed for 30 years. During this period, 3,662 study participants experienced a heart attack, stroke, surgery to restore circulation, or a cardiovascular-related death. Researchers assessed how high-sensitivity CRP, along with low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and lipoprotein(a), or Lp(a), a lipid partly made of LDL, singularly and collectively predicted these events.”

Researchers found that “women with the highest levels of LDL cholesterol had a 36% increased associated risk for heart disease compared to those with the lowest levels. Those with the highest levels of Lp(a) had a 33% increased associated risk, and those with the highest levels of CRP had a 70% increased associated risk.” Additionally, “when all three measures — LDL cholesterol, Lp(a), and CRP — were assessed together, participants with the highest levels had more than a 1.5-times increased associated risk for stroke and more than a three-times increased associated risk for coronary heart disease compared to women with the lowest levels.”

The researchers emphasize “primary prevention” as a means of supporting optimal cardiovascular health, which includes “getting regular physical activity, eating a heart-healthful diet, managing stress, and avoiding tobacco or quitting smoking. Other measures for people with increased risks may include using medication to lower cholesterol and/or reduce inflammation.”