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Opinion Volume 14 Issue 1
Why routine lipoprotein (a) screening matters in clinical practice
Anish A Iyyavoo, Loida Nguyen, Adarsh A Iyyavoo, Quang T Nguyen
Received: January 23, 2026 | Published: February 20, 2026
Citation: Iyyavoo AA, Nguyen L, Iyyavoo AA, et al. Why routine lipoprotein (a) screening matters in clinical practice. Endocrinol Metab Int J. 2026;14(1):6-8. DOI: 10.15406/emij.2026.14.00382
Abstract
Lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)] is a genetically determined and causal risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) and calcific aortic valve stenosis. Unlike other risk factors, circulating Lp(a) levels are determined early in life and have lifelong stability. This opinion piece advocates the implementation of routine Lp(a) screening in current risk scoring. Identifying individuals with elevated Lp(a) leads to more precise risk strategies, earlier application of long-term preventive interventions targeting modifiable risk factors, and the initial selection of desirable candidates for future Lp(a)-specific therapies. Given that RNA-targeting agents (antisense oligonucleotides and small-interfering RNA [siRNA]) have produced 80 to 95% reductions in Lp(a) levels in phase II and III trials, with cardiovascular outcomes studies set to report results during the timeframe of 2025– 2026, it is highly relevant from a clinical standpoint now. In addition, cascade screening of first-degree relatives will allow the preventive impact to reach other families. With an increasingly personalized preventive approach that places the patient at the center of care, routine measurement of Lp(a) is a simple and cost-effective action step toward identifying inherited CV risk, as well as preparing for when targeted therapies are integrated.
Keywords: screening, lipoprotein, clinical practice, epidemiologic
©2026 Iyyavoo, et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and build upon your work non-commercially.