Role of Lipoprotein(a) in Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease in South Asian Individuals

South Asian individuals (SA), representing approximately one quarter of the global population, experience a disproportionately high burden of cardiovascular disease. Some of this increased susceptibility is accounted for by traditional risk factors such as diabetes, hypertension, carbohydrate‐rich d...

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Main Authors: Darshan Patel, Marlys L. Koschinsky, Anandita Agarwala, Pradeep Natarajan, Harpreet S. Bhatia, Anurag Mehta, Jaideep Patel, Matthew Peters, Shreya Pandya, Usman Sagheer, Raman Puri, Salim S. Virani, Dinesh K. Kalra
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-07-01
Series:Journal of the American Heart Association: Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Disease
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Online Access:https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/JAHA.124.040361
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author Darshan Patel
Marlys L. Koschinsky
Anandita Agarwala
Pradeep Natarajan
Harpreet S. Bhatia
Anurag Mehta
Jaideep Patel
Matthew Peters
Shreya Pandya
Usman Sagheer
Raman Puri
Salim S. Virani
Dinesh K. Kalra
author_facet Darshan Patel
Marlys L. Koschinsky
Anandita Agarwala
Pradeep Natarajan
Harpreet S. Bhatia
Anurag Mehta
Jaideep Patel
Matthew Peters
Shreya Pandya
Usman Sagheer
Raman Puri
Salim S. Virani
Dinesh K. Kalra
author_sort Darshan Patel
collection DOAJ
description South Asian individuals (SA), representing approximately one quarter of the global population, experience a disproportionately high burden of cardiovascular disease. Some of this increased susceptibility is accounted for by traditional risk factors such as diabetes, hypertension, carbohydrate‐rich diets, and rising rates of obesity and metabolic syndrome. However, other previously underappreciated risk factors may also play a crucial role. These include environmental pollution, genetic factors, and Lp(a) (lipoprotein(a)). Various epidemiological and genetic studies support the role of Lp(a) as a causal and independent risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. SA have a higher prevalence of elevated Lp(a) levels (25% have levels >50 mg/dL) compared with Western populations, and this may be one factor that accounts for the earlier age of onset of coronary artery disease, its more aggressive course, and higher morbidity and mortality in this group. SA experience myocardial infarction nearly 10 years earlier than individuals of European descent and have higher rates of premature and multivessel coronary artery disease. Additionally, socioeconomic shifts, cultural practices, and disparities in health care access may further exacerbate these risks, creating a complex interplay of factors that heighten cardiovascular vulnerability in SA. In this article, we review the data on the role of Lp(a) in mediating atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, its epidemiology in SA, current screening guidelines, and drugs in the pipeline that will potentially be able to reduce high Lp(a) levels and associated cardiovascular risk. Ultimately, outcome trials with such drugs will be needed in this large population to examine their efficacy and safety.
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spelling doaj-art-d78a68261aaa478ca4f40e49674e0f2c2025-08-20T03:13:04ZengWileyJournal of the American Heart Association: Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Disease2047-99802025-07-01141410.1161/JAHA.124.040361Role of Lipoprotein(a) in Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease in South Asian IndividualsDarshan Patel0Marlys L. Koschinsky1Anandita Agarwala2Pradeep Natarajan3Harpreet S. Bhatia4Anurag Mehta5Jaideep Patel6Matthew Peters7Shreya Pandya8Usman Sagheer9Raman Puri10Salim S. Virani11Dinesh K. Kalra12Division of Cardiology University of Louisville Louisville KY USARobarts Research Institute and the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology Western University London Ontario CanadaCenter for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention, Baylor Scott and White The Heart Hospital Baylor Plano Plano TX USACenter for Genomic Medicine and Cardiovascular Research Center Massachusetts General Hospital Boston MA USADivision of Cardiovascular Medicine University of California San Diego La Jolla CA USAVCU Health Pauley Heart Center Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond VA USASouth Asian Cardiovascular Health Initiative (SACHI), Johns Hopkins Ciccarone for the Center of Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease Johns Hopkins Hospital Baltimore MD USADivision of Cardiology University of Louisville Louisville KY USADivision of Cardiology University of Louisville Louisville KY USADivision of Cardiology University of Louisville Louisville KY USACardiac Care Centre Indraprastha Apollo Hospital New Delhi IndiaThe Aga Khan University Karachi PakistanDivision of Cardiology University of Louisville Louisville KY USASouth Asian individuals (SA), representing approximately one quarter of the global population, experience a disproportionately high burden of cardiovascular disease. Some of this increased susceptibility is accounted for by traditional risk factors such as diabetes, hypertension, carbohydrate‐rich diets, and rising rates of obesity and metabolic syndrome. However, other previously underappreciated risk factors may also play a crucial role. These include environmental pollution, genetic factors, and Lp(a) (lipoprotein(a)). Various epidemiological and genetic studies support the role of Lp(a) as a causal and independent risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. SA have a higher prevalence of elevated Lp(a) levels (25% have levels >50 mg/dL) compared with Western populations, and this may be one factor that accounts for the earlier age of onset of coronary artery disease, its more aggressive course, and higher morbidity and mortality in this group. SA experience myocardial infarction nearly 10 years earlier than individuals of European descent and have higher rates of premature and multivessel coronary artery disease. Additionally, socioeconomic shifts, cultural practices, and disparities in health care access may further exacerbate these risks, creating a complex interplay of factors that heighten cardiovascular vulnerability in SA. In this article, we review the data on the role of Lp(a) in mediating atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, its epidemiology in SA, current screening guidelines, and drugs in the pipeline that will potentially be able to reduce high Lp(a) levels and associated cardiovascular risk. Ultimately, outcome trials with such drugs will be needed in this large population to examine their efficacy and safety.https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/JAHA.124.040361atherosclerosiscardiovascular riskethnicitylipoprotein(a)South Asian people
spellingShingle Darshan Patel
Marlys L. Koschinsky
Anandita Agarwala
Pradeep Natarajan
Harpreet S. Bhatia
Anurag Mehta
Jaideep Patel
Matthew Peters
Shreya Pandya
Usman Sagheer
Raman Puri
Salim S. Virani
Dinesh K. Kalra
Role of Lipoprotein(a) in Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease in South Asian Individuals
Journal of the American Heart Association: Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Disease
atherosclerosis
cardiovascular risk
ethnicity
lipoprotein(a)
South Asian people
title Role of Lipoprotein(a) in Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease in South Asian Individuals
title_full Role of Lipoprotein(a) in Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease in South Asian Individuals
title_fullStr Role of Lipoprotein(a) in Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease in South Asian Individuals
title_full_unstemmed Role of Lipoprotein(a) in Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease in South Asian Individuals
title_short Role of Lipoprotein(a) in Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease in South Asian Individuals
title_sort role of lipoprotein a in atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease in south asian individuals
topic atherosclerosis
cardiovascular risk
ethnicity
lipoprotein(a)
South Asian people
url https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/JAHA.124.040361
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