New guidelines recommend all adults get this heart test
Big update from the American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology: they now recommend all adults get a one-time test for lipoprotein(a), a genetic marker that, along with LDL cholesterol, can reveal your risk for heart disease early on.
The goal? Catch problems sooner and help more people avoid heart trouble down the line.
Other key changes in the guidelines
The new guidelines also suggest tools like coronary calcium scoring and the PREVENT calculator to better spot long-term heart risks.
Statins are still the go-to treatment if your LDL is high, but even those with low short-term risk might be advised to start them if their lifetime risk is up.
And don't forget: regular exercise and skipping tobacco are still key.
As Dr. Steven Nissen said, "That's a sea change," so small changes now could really pay off later.