Lipoprotein(a) Management Specialist

Kahn Center for Cardiac Longevity Joel Kahn, MD Our Services Lipoprotein(a) Management
Joel Kahn, MD - - Integrative Cardiologist

Kahn Center for Cardiac Longevity

Joel Kahn, MD

Integrative Cardiologist located in Bingham Farms, MI

Lipoprotein(a), or Lp(a), is a lesser-known cholesterol that’s linked to a lot of serious problems like heart attacks, strokes, blood clots, aortic valve disease, and peripheral vascular disease. Joel Kahn, MD, and his team at the Kahn Center for Cardiac Longevity in Bingham Farms, Michigan, offer a blood test to help detect if your Lp(a) is too high. For lipoprotein(a) management, call the office to schedule a consultation. Dr. Kahn is recognized as a world-class expert on Lipoprotein(a) management.

Lipoprotein(a) Management

What is Lipoprotein(a)?

Lipoprotein(a) is a cholesterol that’s physically and structurally similar to low-density lipoprotein, what’s commonly called LDL or “bad” cholesterol. Unfortunately, Lp(a) doesn’t easily show up on standard cholesterol tests and requires a separate screening.

Just like LDL, Lp(a) swims through your bloodstream and delivers proteins, fats, and cholesterol to organs throughout your body. Too much Lp(a) leads to a buildup of fatty deposits on your artery walls.

Lp(a) also interrupts your body’s ability to break up blood clots, so people with elevated Lp(a) are at risk of developing dangerous blood clots.

Is it uncommon to have high lipoprotein(a)?

Across the world, 1 in 5 people has high levels of Lp(a), including about 65 million people in the United States.

Staggeringly, people with high Lp(a) are up to four times more likely to have heart disease than those with normal Lp(a) levels.

What are the risk factors for high lipoprotein(a)?

A few significant factors put you at higher risk of having high levels of Lp(a):

  • Family history of early cardiovascular disease
  • Family history of hypercholesterolemia
  • Having a heart attack or a stroke without having other risk factors
  • Recurrent high LDL levels even with statin treatment

 

Since high Lp(a) is genetic, it’s important to screen everyone in your family.

What is the treatment for high lipoprotein(a)?

Dr. Kahn and his dedicated team at Kahn Center for Cardiac Longevity help you protect your heart by monitoring and managing your lipoprotein(a) levels.

Unfortunately, Lp(a) isn’t always responsive to changes in diet, increased exercise, and taking statin medicines, but it’s not made worse by lifestyle changes that improve your overall heart health, such as eating a plant-rich diet, exercising regularly, stopping smoking, getting enough sleep, and managing stress.

Dr. Kahn uses a variety of supplements to lower Lp(a), including:

  • Niacin
  • Vitamin C
  • L-Carnitine
  • Ginko biloba
  • Lysine
  • Proline

 

Know your lipoprotein(a) number and monitor it with regular checkups at the Kahn Center for Cardiac Longevity. Call the clinic to schedule your screening.

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