LIPOPROTEIN(A) AS AN INDEPENDENT CARDIOVASCULAR RISK FACTOR: CURRENT EVIDENCE AND THERAPEUTIC PERSPECTIVES – A NARRATIVE REVIEW

Katarzyna Wawrzonek; Marcelina Dymon; Daria Aleksandra Warzocha-Żurek; Krystian Andryszko; Agnieszka Szwed; Ewa Maria Polewczak-Karp; Natalia Matylda Ziemba-Furgała; Aleksandra Sołtys; Katarzyna Anna Borzęcka; Paulina Krysa

doi:10.31435/ijitss.2(50).2026.5452

Authors

Katarzyna Wawrzonek Clinical Provincial Hospital of Saint Jadwiga the Queen in Rzeszów, Rzeszów, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0007-6883-422X
Marcelina Dymon University of Rzeszów, Rzeszów, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0000-8008-7932
Daria Aleksandra Warzocha-Żurek Clinical Provincial Hospital in Rzeszów, Rzeszów, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0005-5756-2404
Krystian Andryszko Clinical Regional Hospital of Saint Jadwiga The Queen in Rzeszów, Rzeszów, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0006-6170-5663
Agnieszka Szwed MSWiA Hospital, Rzeszów, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0003-6395-5365
Ewa Maria Polewczak-Karp Medical Center in Łańcut Sp. z o.o., Łańcut, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0006-6411-4826
Natalia Matylda Ziemba-Furgała Ministry of Interior and Administration Hospital in Rzeszów, Rzeszów, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0009-5031-3930
Aleksandra Sołtys Uniwersytet Rzeszowski, Rzeszów, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0007-2557-2696
Katarzyna Anna Borzęcka Medical Center in Łańcut Sp. z o.o., Łańcut, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0007-4084-4370
Paulina Krysa City Hospital of John Paul II in Rzeszów, Rzeszów, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0000-6633-3586

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31435/ijitss.2(50).2026.5452

Keywords:

Lipoprotein(A), Cardiovascular Risk, Atherosclerosis, Aortic Valve Stenosis, Coronary Artery Disease, RNA-Based Therapies

Abstract

Cardiovascular diseases remain a major global public health challenge despite substantial advances in diagnosis and treatment. The occurrence of cardiovascular events in patients with well-controlled traditional risk factors highlights the need to identify additional determinants of risk. Lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] is a distinct lipoprotein fraction whose plasma concentration is largely genetically determined and remains relatively stable throughout life. An increasing body of evidence indicates that Lp(a) is an independent risk factor for coronary artery disease, ischemic stroke, and calcific aortic valve stenosis, owing to its atherogenic, proinflammatory, and prothrombotic properties. Lp(a) measurement is gaining importance in cardiovascular risk assessment; however, its use in routine clinical practice remains limited. Management of patients with elevated Lp(a) concentrations currently relies primarily on intensive control of other cardiovascular risk factors, particularly low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. The development of RNA-based therapies offers the prospect of targeted Lp(a) lowering. This review provides a comprehensive overview of current knowledge on the biology, clinical significance, diagnosis, and therapeutic options related to lipoprotein(a) and discusses its emerging role in cardiovascular risk stratification and precision medicine.

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