Ep. 643 What Menopause Does to Lp(a) and Cholesterol |Menopause, Perimenopause, Cholesterol

Welcome to the latest Midlife Minute. This episode unpacks ongoing research on Lp(a), explores how women’s lipids change during the perimenopause-to-menopause transition, and clarifies what we can do about it. Stay tuned for more! IN THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL LEARN: How total cholesterol, LDL, and ApoB tend to rise most steeply around the final menstrual period, rather than increasing gradually with chronological aging Why women should have their Lp(a) checked both before and after menopause How oral and transdermal estradiol can affect LDL, HDL, triglycerides, and Lp(a) differently Why I recommend including ApoB when checking your lipids during the perimenopause window How your lifestyle can reduce your cardiovascular risk, even when your Lp(a) is elevated Why omega-3 fatty acids and commonly used lipid medications do not lower Lp(a) Why supplements are not replacements for statins in genuinely high-risk patients I review the various PCSK9 inhibitors currently available, how they are administered, and their effects How a CAC, a CT angiogram, and an AI-assisted CT angiogram can help women and their providers determine how aggressive their approach should be when Lp(a) is elevated Connect with Cynthia Thurlow Follow on X, Instagram & LinkedIn Check out Cynthia’s website. Submit your questions to support@cynthiathurlow.com Join other like-minded women in a supportive, nurturing community: The Midlife Pause/Cynthia Thurlow. Purchase Cynthia’s book, The Menopause Gut. Cynthia’s Intermittent Fasting Transformation Book The Midlife Pause Supplement Line References: 1. Menopause Transition and Cardiovascular Disease Risk: Implications for Timing of Early Prevention: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association.Circulation. 2020. El Khoudary SR, Aggarwal B, Beckie TM, et al.Guideline 2. Menopause: A Cardiometabolic Transition. The Lancet. Diabetes & Endocrinology. 2022. Nappi RE, Chedraui P, Lambrinoudaki I, Simoncini T.Review 3. Dyslipidemia Across the Menopause Transition: Mechanisms, Trajectories, and Opportunities for Cardiovascular Prevention. Maturitas. 2026. Castaneda R, Tatit CP, Hurtado Andrade MD, Faubion SS, Shufelt CL.RecentReview 4. Lipoprotein(a) and Women's Cardiovascular Health: A Review. JACC. Advances. 2026. Michos ED, Saucier S, Mehran R, Koschinsky ML. 5. Lipid Metabolism in Women: A Review. Atherosclerosis. 2025. van Oortmerssen JAE, Mulder JWCM, Kavousi M, Roeters van Lennep JE.Review 6. Are Changes in Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors in Midlife Women Due to Chronological Aging or to the Menopausal Transition?. Journal of the American College of Cardiology. 2009. Matthews KA, Crawford SL, Chae CU, et al.Observational 7. Trajectories of Lipids Around the Menopause Transition in Chinese Women: Results of the Kailuan Cohort Study. Fertility and Sterility. 2023. Dai Q, Wu S, Cao Z, et al. 8. Lipid Management in Patients With Endocrine Disorders: An Endocrine Society Clinical Practice Guideline. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. 2020. Newman CB, Blaha MJ, Boord JB, et al.Guideline 9. The Effects of Menopause Hormone Therapy on Lipid Profile in Postmenopausal Women: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Frontiers in Pharmacology. 2022. Nie G, Yang X, Wang Y, et al.SR 10. Perspectives on Dyslipidemia and Coronary Heart Disease in Women. Journal of the American College of Cardiology. 2005. Bittner V.Review 11. Dyslipidemia in Midlife Women: Approach and Considerations During the Menopausal Transition. Maturitas. 2022. Torosyan N, Visrodia P, Torbati T, Minissian MB, Shufelt CL.Review 12. Effects of gender, age and menopausal status on serum apolipoprotein concentrations.13.Lipoprotein(a).The Journal of the American Medical Association. 2025. Mora S, Kronenberg 14. Why, how and in whom should we measure levels of lipoprotein(a): A review of the latest evidence and clinical implications. Diabetes, Obesity & Metabolism. 2025. Razavi AC, Bhatia HS, Blumenth