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2h ago

Global Push to Scale Lp(a) Testing Grows as U.S. Data Show Rare, Uneven Use

Advocates argue routine screening is warranted given Lp(a)'s genetic nature plus the prospect of upcoming therapies.

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Overview

  • A UC San Diego analysis of Epic Cosmos found 728,550 people received Lp(a) tests from 2015 to 2024, about 0.2% of the U.S. population, with annual tests rising from roughly 14,000 to over 300,000.
  • Testing was concentrated among White patients, with fewer than 10% Black and 7% Hispanic or Latino, and California, Ohio and Texas together accounted for more than a quarter of tests.
  • Laboratory practice shifted toward accuracy, with two-thirds of U.S. tests using molar assays by 2024 rather than older mass-based methods.
  • At a Global Heart Hub–Novartis webinar ahead of World Heart Day, experts called on governments across Asia Pacific and the Middle East to integrate Lp(a) testing and management into national cardiovascular guidelines.
  • A Novartis-commissioned regional survey found 66% of respondents skip routine heart tests, only 22% had heard of an Lp(a) test, and just 7% had taken it.