Half of sudden heart attacks happen to healthy people
Standard cholesterol tests often miss a hidden genetic protein that acts like biological Velcro, trapping debris in your arteries regardless of how healthy you eat.
In the 1980s, researchers studying heart health in Helsinki were baffled when men with perfect cholesterol scores were still dropping dead from sudden cardiac arrests. They eventually identified a culprit called Lp(a), a sticky particle that mimics healthy fats but behaves like a blood clot. Unlike common cholesterol, this protein is entirely genetic and ignores diet or exercise. One in five people carries high levels of it, yet most doctors never test for it because it requires a specialized blood draw.
There's more to this story — open the app to keep reading.