Doctors urge for better testing of 'bad cholesterol', a leading cause of death in young Aussies

The previously untested cholesterol has been the cause of many early deaths in Australia.

With a recent spike in sudden heart attacks among young Aussies, doctors around the nation are calling for better testing when it comes to “bad cholesterol”.

The little-known type of cholesterol lipoprotein(a), or Lp(a) has over the last year of research shown a definitive link to the onset of strokes and heart attacks among Australians.

Researchers have determined that while Lp(a) is mostly linked to genetics rather than lifestyle factors, up to 20 per cent of the population are predicted to have at least a mild elevation.

Cardiologists researching the prevalence of Lp(a) have found a recurring theme of elevated levels in people who come from a hereditary predisposition to heart attacks and strokes in their younger years (30s).

The reason being, when regular cholesterol tests are conducted, Lp(a) has not previously been a marker of concern, thus it has not been included in the test screenings.

[Joke of the century below:]

“We have long wondered why healthy people with low cholesterol levels and seemingly no other major risk factors like smoking or diabetes can suffer heart attacks,” he told The Sydney Morning Herald. “But we now understand that high levels of Lp(a) could be responsible for many of these events.”