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Elevated Lp(a) levels - does Repatha help?

Posted by klaudiaarnold @klaudiaarnold, Jul 16, 2025

Hi everyone,
After reading up on it myself, I found out there are hardly any medications available to lower highly elevated Lp(a)= levels. However, I came across Repatha and read that it might also help reduce Lp(a) levels. Is there any chance in significantly lowering an elevated Lp(a) level (above 50mg/dl) with Repatha?

• Has anyone had personal experience with Repatha to lower Lp(a)?
• And does anyone know a doctor who prescribes Repatha for lowering Lp(a)?

Thanks in advance for sharing your knowledge or experiences!

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Heart & Blood Health Support Group.

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Mentor
Janell, Volunteer Mentor | @jlharsh | Feb 18 7:14pm
In reply to @bobinindiana "@bitsygirl Thanks for your information. Similar to what I am finding. I did see a process..." + (show)
Profile picture for bobinindiana @bobinindiana

@bitsygirl
Thanks for your information. Similar to what I am finding. I did see a process similar to dialysis where it cleans the blood but don’t think I qualify. I had a double bypass 34 years ago and then a CTO 5 years ago when my widow maker was 100 % clogged. Thank goodness I developed some ancillary paths so made it through that procedure. Just turned 80 but not giving up

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Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect, @bobinindiana. I am glad to see you have connected with @bobinindiana and sharing such valuable information. Getting abnormal lab results is a shocker and you are in a great place to process through finding out you have elevated LP(a).

Familial hypercholesterolemia and LP(a) both run in my family. My dad actually has both and he is currently 93 years old. His number was around 270 I believe. Repatha does not reduce LP(a) across the board but does for some. He takes the injections and it helps him. I hope you join that group and it helps you!

My cholesterol has been pesky and I spent some time getting LDL apheresis. If you pursue the treatment it may be well worth your time to talk to others that have been receiving it, especially long term to understand as much as you can.

When will you get your LP(a) check to see if Repatha is lowering it?

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2 replies
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christinecaron | @christinecaron | Feb 18 8:57pm
In reply to @bobinindiana "Received lab test results of 320 for lipoprotein a last week. Putting me on Repatha until..." + (show)
Profile picture for bobinindiana @bobinindiana

Received lab test results of 320 for lipoprotein a last week. Putting me on Repatha until future drugs come to market. Hope I can last that long

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Sounds like we are experiencing the same thing:( My LPa got tested last week and was 414. I'm terrified.

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3 replies
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bobinindiana | @bobinindiana | Feb 19 5:29am
In reply to @jlharsh "Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect, @bobinindiana. I am glad to see you have connected with @bobinindiana..." + (show)
Profile picture for Janell, Volunteer Mentor @jlharsh

Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect, @bobinindiana. I am glad to see you have connected with @bobinindiana and sharing such valuable information. Getting abnormal lab results is a shocker and you are in a great place to process through finding out you have elevated LP(a).

Familial hypercholesterolemia and LP(a) both run in my family. My dad actually has both and he is currently 93 years old. His number was around 270 I believe. Repatha does not reduce LP(a) across the board but does for some. He takes the injections and it helps him. I hope you join that group and it helps you!

My cholesterol has been pesky and I spent some time getting LDL apheresis. If you pursue the treatment it may be well worth your time to talk to others that have been receiving it, especially long term to understand as much as you can.

When will you get your LP(a) check to see if Repatha is lowering it?

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@jlharsh
Not sure when the recheck. Still waiting on VA approval
Thanks

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bobinindiana | @bobinindiana | Feb 19 5:35am
In reply to @christinecaron "Sounds like we are experiencing the same thing:( My LPa got tested last week and was..." + (show)
Profile picture for christinecaron @christinecaron

Sounds like we are experiencing the same thing:( My LPa got tested last week and was 414. I'm terrified.

Jump to this post

@christinecaron
I understand. I’m scheduled for stress mri next week to figure out where I’m at. I have been dealing with this for 40 years. Multiple stents so they have worked for me. While we wait for new drugs there are things that help. I pray a lot which helps my stress.

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1 reply
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christinecaron | @christinecaron | Feb 19 8:30am
In reply to @bobinindiana "@christinecaron I understand. I’m scheduled for stress mri next week to figure out where I’m at...." + (show)
Profile picture for bobinindiana @bobinindiana

@christinecaron
I understand. I’m scheduled for stress mri next week to figure out where I’m at. I have been dealing with this for 40 years. Multiple stents so they have worked for me. While we wait for new drugs there are things that help. I pray a lot which helps my stress.

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@bobinindiana
Best wishes to you! I am a 61 year old female. Have always had high cholesterol but the HDL was incredibly high so back then, they didn't do anything about it. About 2 years ago though I started a statin. Cholesterol is better but hdl still high. Last week they decided to test the lpa and found it to be 414 so with everything I'm reading, it's terrifying. Now I wait to see a cardiologist and who knows how long until they see me:( In the mean time I have turned a new leaf and am eating a heart healthy diet and raising my heart rate with exercise nearly every day to bring down the overall cholesterol although from what I read, it doesn't eliminate the danger of the high lpa. I also had a 0 calcium score, but, looks like the danger of the soft plaque is even greater than the calcified, ugh! Any tips or advise would be much appreciated. Kind of glad I just found out at 60, otherwise, like you, I would have been worrying about it for 40 years. I'll keep praying and I'll throw in a prayer for you as well:) Thank you for responding!

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dnward12 | @dnward12 | Feb 19 8:56am
In reply to @bitsygirl "Hi, @bobinindiana That is definitely elevated. I also have high lp(a) but not that high. I..." + (show)
Profile picture for bitsygirl @bitsygirl

Hi, @bobinindiana

That is definitely elevated. I also have high lp(a) but not that high. I have atherosclerosis in various places, but none of concern at this point. I've exercised regularly and eaten pretty well, so I attribute it at least partly to lifestyle. I don't know her lp(a) level, but at my age my mother had already had a triple bypass. When she died, the doctors said they didn't really know why but attributed it to the level of atherosclerosis throughout her body. So I am sticking with the exercise and diet!

Here's a website that has information on lipoprotein(a) https://familyheart.org/high-lipoprotein-a. There's a trial ending soon that took people with >70 mg/dL. It's Pelacarsen’s Lp(a)HORIZON Phase 3 trial testing whether reduction of lipoprotein(a) lowers the rate of major cardiovascular events. AI tells me the results are expected in late 2025/2026, but it depends on how the different groups in the study fare. So there's no predictable "end date" as I understand it. There are a couple of other trials with similar goals: ACCLAIM‑Lp(a) and OCEAN(a)‑Outcomes. Then FDA approval and insurance approval. So a few years I guess. But, atherosclerosis also progresses slowly so hopefully it can help us.

You may already know all this. On the plus side, sounds like your cardiologist is knowledgeable about lp(a). My cardiologist shut me down completely when I asked about a PCSK9 inhibitor. I can only guess why he won't support it.

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@bitsygirl I’m in the ACCLAIM study… I started about 9 months ago.. it’s a 50% chance, but based on the stage 2 trial it reduced the lp a by up to 90%.. and no major side effects.

I think it’s certainly worth investigating… and as you said.. there are other drugs in the pipeline..

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1 reply
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bitsygirl | @bitsygirl | Feb 19 10:15am
In reply to @dnward12 "@bitsygirl I’m in the ACCLAIM study… I started about 9 months ago.. it’s a 50% chance,..." + (show)
Profile picture for dnward12 @dnward12

@bitsygirl I’m in the ACCLAIM study… I started about 9 months ago.. it’s a 50% chance, but based on the stage 2 trial it reduced the lp a by up to 90%.. and no major side effects.

I think it’s certainly worth investigating… and as you said.. there are other drugs in the pipeline..

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@dnward12 That's exciting.

I am anxiously awaiting the results from those trials. It would be great to see that they can reduce bad cardiovascular outcomes. It really weighs on one's mind over time to know this level of lp(a) is "bad" and it's out there in the background and there is nothing to be done. The cost of the PCKS9 inhibitors outside insurance is still too rich for my blood. (There should be a pun there, but I can't find it. 🙂 ) I don't think it's possible to get the lp(a)-focused drugs outside of the trials at any cost right now.

Good luck and keep us posted!

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Moderator
Justin McClanahan, Moderator | @JustinMcClanahan | Feb 19 7:16pm
In reply to @bobinindiana "Received lab test results of 320 for lipoprotein a last week. Putting me on Repatha until..." + (show)
Profile picture for bobinindiana @bobinindiana

Received lab test results of 320 for lipoprotein a last week. Putting me on Repatha until future drugs come to market. Hope I can last that long

Jump to this post

Hello @bobinindiana,

I combined your discussion with another discussion titled:

"Elevated Lp(a) levels - does Repatha help?"
- https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/elevated-lpa-levels-does-repatha-help/

Here you can meet members discussing elevated lpa levels and taking Repatha. @bitsygirl, @tdm1, and @paxlux all recently shared their experiences on Repatha and may share their updates and experiences with you.

REPLY
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betsya | @betsya | Feb 19 10:20pm
In reply to @christinecaron "Sounds like we are experiencing the same thing:( My LPa got tested last week and was..." + (show)
Profile picture for christinecaron @christinecaron

Sounds like we are experiencing the same thing:( My LPa got tested last week and was 414. I'm terrified.

Jump to this post

@christinecaron My Lp(a) was 600. After starting Repatha, it decreased to 455. However, after about a year on Repatha, I developed swelling of my glands and lymph nodes, so I plan to try Leqvio instead.

For perspective, my mother’s Lp(a) is 435. She is 88 years old, takes no medication for it, and has no related health issues. Elevated Lp(a) is a risk factor, but it is not necessarily a death sentence.

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1 reply
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christinecaron | @christinecaron | Feb 20 1:50pm
In reply to @betsya "@christinecaron My Lp(a) was 600. After starting Repatha, it decreased to 455. However, after about a..." + (show)
Profile picture for betsya @betsya

@christinecaron My Lp(a) was 600. After starting Repatha, it decreased to 455. However, after about a year on Repatha, I developed swelling of my glands and lymph nodes, so I plan to try Leqvio instead.

For perspective, my mother’s Lp(a) is 435. She is 88 years old, takes no medication for it, and has no related health issues. Elevated Lp(a) is a risk factor, but it is not necessarily a death sentence.

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@betsya
THANK YOU! I have literally been sending my family instruction on recognizing stroke and heart attack and directions on what to do. I'm preparing for what I felt was inevitable. Your message as well as the others who have responded has really helped my psyche. Hopefully once I see a cardiologist it will help further.
Best wishes to you!

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