Evaluation of lipid-lowering therapy in patients with elevated lipoprotein(a) levels

Elevated lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)) is a recognized independent risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) and other cardiovascular-related disorders. To mitigate the increased risk associated with elevated Lp(a), intensified treatment is recommended for modifiable ASCVD risk factors, such as hypertension, hyperglycemia, and dyslipidemia. However, limited evidence has assessed how clinicians are modifying lipid-lowering therapy in response to elevated Lp(a) levels.

To evaluate changes to lipid-lowering therapy and assess which patient characteristics are associated with intensifying lipid-lowering medications.

This retrospective, observational case-control study evaluated changes to lipid-lowering therapy in patients with elevated Lp(a) values from January 1, 2020, through May 31, 2024.

Of 1042 patients with an Lp(a) value of 30 mg/dL (75 nmol/L) or higher during our study period, 539 met full inclusion eligibility. Of the 539 patients, 120 (22.3%) had their lipid-lowering therapy modified within 30 days of the elevated Lp(a) result. The most common interventions were adding ezetimibe (33.3%) and intensifying statin therapy (32.5%). Elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) was the most significant predictor of whether patients' lipid medications were modified, concordant with current recommendations for mitigating increased ASCVD risk associated with elevated Lp(a).

Intensification of lipid-lowering medication within 30 days occurred in less than one-quarter of patients with elevated Lp(a). Future studies are needed to determine if aggressive LDL-C lowering is superior to Lp(a)-lowering to prevent ASCVD events in patients with elevated Lp(a).