More Bad News for High Lp(a)

Nocturne · Jan 6, 2018

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29301785

"Despite intensive lipid therapy, aimed at aggressively lowering LDL-C to <70 mg/dL, carotid atherosclerosis continued to progress as assessed by carotid magnetic resonance imaging and that elevated Lp(a) levels were independent predictors of increases in atherosclerosis burden."

When y'****** -- Y'******!!!

pellicle · Jan 7, 2018

Are you taking niacin?

As I said way back, we all get what we get. No refunds or exchanges, so try to make the best of the hand you have.

Agian · Jan 7, 2018

What's your ldl now?
Yes, Niacin.

Nocturne · Jan 7, 2018

LDL below 70.

Niacin - as you may remember, I started taking this and then noticed that my fasting blood glucose was in the prediabetic range, and learned that niacin can raise fasting blood glucose. Am currently experimenting with home glucometer - dropped the niacin and did not notice a huge change, in the process of dropping the statin (which will of course raise LDL) to see if that makes a difference, as statins also can raise blood glucose. Meanwhile, have learned that my post-meal blood glucose is very boring, rarely above 115. So, it’s complicated.

We can’t all be from countries where treatments like Lp(a) apheresis or PCSK9 inhibitors are readily available. Must be nice. Here in the USA, we apparently believe that the Power of Prayer trumps (and is coincidentally a lot better for the bottom line of the insurance companies) you and your godless science.

I’m sure this will all be sorted out and correctly treated right after I’m dead.

pellicle · Jan 9, 2018

Maybe some good news

http://news.doccheck.com/en/newsletter/4448/29962/

Nocturne · Jan 10, 2018

pellicle;n881110 said:
Maybe some good news

http://news.doccheck.com/en/newsletter/4448/29962/

Here is some more good news (countered the bad news I read today that people with high Lp(a) are apparently have significantly faster AVS progression):

http://clinchem.aaccjnls.org/content/63/11/1714

Last year it was learned that people with high Lp(a) have a significantly lower risk of "major brain and airway bleeds". They looked specifically at the mutant allele I carry two copies of. People like me, with two copies, have a risk ratio of 0.59 compared to the general population.

Of course my mother died in her mid fifties of a brain aneurysm, so I guess her copy didn't help her much...