The Hidden Enzyme Predicting Your Next #heartattack

1 Aug 2025 · 1 min

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In this segment, the speaker explains that lipoprotein‑associated phospholipase A2 (Lp‑PLA2) is an enzyme released by inflamed or oxidized ApoB‑containing lipoprotein plaques that have lodged in arterial walls. When these plaques become inflamed or are at risk of rupturing, they secrete Lp‑PLA2 into the bloodstream. Elevated blood levels of Lp‑PLA2 therefore serve as a direct indicator that a plaque is unstable and that the individual faces a very high risk of a heart attack or stroke. The speaker uses the vivid metaphor of a "volcano" in the arteries to convey the imminent danger and argues that measuring Lp‑PLA2 levels can provide early warning of such events.

Chapters

PLA2, or lipoprotein PLA2. This is an enzyme that's actually released by inflammatory plaques in the walls of your arteries, or oxidized or inflamed LDL. So if you have any of these bad team lipoproteins, these lipoproteins that are marked with an ApoB, right, and they've slipped into your artery walls and they've formed a little plaque, and that plaque's actually inflamed for whatever reason, or at risk for rupturing and causing a heart attack or a stroke, then they're going to put off the enzyme Lp-PLA2. So if you measure your Lp-PLA2 levels in your blood and they come back high, that tells you that you are at very high risk. It's like having a volcano in your arteries that's about to erupt. Wouldn't you want to know that? I would.