Lipoprotein(a) Test in Singapore

Lipoprotein(a), written Lp(a), is a cholesterol-carrying particle in the blood, similar to LDL ("bad" cholesterol) but with an extra sticky protein attached that makes it more likely to lodge in artery walls. The Lp(a) blood test measures how much of this particle you have. Your level is set almost entirely by your genes and stays fairly constant throughout life, so it tells you about an inherited component of your cardiovascular risk that a standard cholesterol panel does not capture.

No. Lp(a) does not require fasting and can be taken at any time of day. It is a single blood draw that takes a few minutes. If it is being done alongside a standard lipid profile or other tests that do need fasting, your doctor will let you know — but Lp(a) itself is unaffected by your last meal.

Lp(a) is reported either as a mass (mg/dL) or, increasingly preferred, as a particle concentration (nmol/L). As a general guide, below about 30 mg/dL (roughly 75 nmol/L) is desirable, 30 to 50 mg/dL (about 75 to 125 nmol/L) is borderline, and above 50 mg/dL (about 125 nmol/L) is considered elevated and independently raises the risk of heart attack and stroke. Risk rises continuously with the level rather than switching on at a single number, so 50 mg/dL is a practical flag rather than a hard cut-off. The two units do not convert by a fixed factor, so results are best compared within the same unit. Your doctor interprets the number alongside your overall cardiovascular risk.

A standard lipid panel measures total cholesterol, LDL, HDL and triglycerides — markers strongly influenced by diet, weight and medication. Lp(a) is different: it is largely genetic, changes little with lifestyle, and is not included in a routine lipid panel unless specifically requested. This is why someone can have perfectly normal cholesterol yet still carry raised cardiovascular risk from a high Lp(a). Lp(a) is usually checked once to complete the risk picture rather than tracked repeatedly like LDL.

For most people, once is enough. Because Lp(a) is genetically determined and stays relatively stable across your lifetime, a single measurement usually tells you what you need to know. Repeat testing is only occasionally useful — for example if a result was borderline, if you are enrolled in a treatment study, or if your doctor is monitoring a specific therapy. This is quite different from cholesterol or HbA1c, which are re-checked regularly.

Testing is particularly worthwhile if you have a personal or family history of early heart attack, stroke or coronary artery disease (before around age 55 in men or 65 in women), a family history of high Lp(a) or familial hypercholesterolaemia, cardiovascular disease that progresses despite well-controlled cholesterol, or unexplained aortic valve narrowing. International cardiology guidance increasingly recommends a one-time Lp(a) measurement in every adult, not only higher-risk individuals. If you are unsure whether it applies to you, WhatsApp us and we will advise.

Lp(a) is largely fixed by your genes and does not respond much to diet, exercise, weight loss or the usual cholesterol medications. As of 2026 there is no medicine licensed specifically to lower Lp(a), although targeted therapies (antisense oligonucleotides and small interfering RNAs) are in late-stage trials and can reduce it by up to 80 to 98%. PCSK9 inhibitors lower it modestly (around 15 to 30%) and may be considered in high-risk patients who are not yet at their LDL cholesterol goal on a statin. What matters is that a high Lp(a) is still very actionable: knowing about it lets you and your doctor manage every other modifiable risk factor more aggressively — LDL cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar, smoking and weight — which meaningfully reduces your overall risk of heart attack and stroke.

Yes, it is worth considering. Because Lp(a) is inherited, a high result in you means your first-degree relatives — parents, siblings and children — have a meaningfully higher chance of also carrying a raised level. Testing them can identify cardiovascular risk early, while there is plenty of time to manage other risk factors. This is sometimes called cascade screening and is a practical reason to know your own number.

At our clinics the Lipoprotein(a) test is $49.99 NETT, inclusive of GST. A doctor consultation (from $49.05 NETT) may be required for a specifically requested test, so your doctor can confirm it is appropriate and interpret your result in the context of your overall cardiovascular risk; this is waived if you have a referral. No separate consultation is needed when Lp(a) is added to a health screening or lipid panel, which handles the review. See the full pricing table above or WhatsApp 8095 3275 to confirm current rates.