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LRP8 and Your Heart: What Your rs5174 Genotype Means for Coronary Artery Disease Risk

Heart disease, also known as coronary artery disease, happens when arteries that supply the heart become narrowed by fatty deposits and inflammation. This reduces blood flow and can cause chest pain, shortness of breath, or heart attacks. Your genes are one piece of the puzzle that influence heart disease risk. The LRP8 gene plays a key role in regulating cholesterol handling and platelet function, both of which affect how plaque forms in arteries and how easily blood clots. Variations at the rs5174 location in LRP8 are associated with small but meaningful differences in coronary artery disease risk.

How LRP8 Can Affect Heart Health

LRP8 helps control how lipids are processed and how platelets respond to injury. Changes in this gene may alter cholesterol metabolism and platelet activation, potentially making it easier for plaque to build up or for blood clots to form. Genetic influence on heart disease is substantial but not absolute. Genetics typically account for about 50 to 60 percent of heart disease risk, with the remainder determined by lifestyle and environment. That means even if you have an increased genetic risk, lifestyle choices can strongly modify overall risk.

Practical Steps You Can Take Today

Regardless of genotype, the following actions support cardiovascular health. These recommendations are educational and not medical advice. Always review new plans with your healthcare provider.

  • Nutrition
    • Prioritize a Mediterranean-style pattern: plenty of vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains, nuts, seeds, fish, and olive oil.
    • Choose lean proteins such as fish, poultry, beans, and legumes. Aim for fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, or sardines at least twice weekly for omega-3 benefits.
    • Limit processed foods, refined carbohydrates, and added sugars. Reduce intake of trans fats and saturated fats by choosing minimally processed foods and low-fat dairy or plant-based alternatives when appropriate.
    • Keep sodium moderate to help control blood pressure—aim for under 2,300 mg per day or as advised by your clinician.
  • Physical activity and weight
    • Aim for at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, or 75 minutes of vigorous activity, plus muscle-strengthening twice weekly.
    • Maintain a healthy body weight. Even modest weight loss (5 to 10 percent) can improve lipid profiles, blood pressure, and metabolic health.
  • Stress, sleep, and habits
    • Practice stress-reducing techniques such as brisk walking, yoga, meditation, or deep breathing.
    • Optimize sleep hygiene and aim for 7 to 9 hours of quality sleep per night.
    • Avoid tobacco in all forms. If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation—up to one drink daily for women and up to two for men, or per your healthcare provider's guidance.
  • Supplements to discuss with your clinician
    • Omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) may support heart health and improve triglyceride levels. Dosing and need depend on your clinical profile.
    • Fiber supplements or psyllium can help lower LDL cholesterol if dietary fiber is insufficient.
    • Coenzyme Q10 or vitamin D may be considered in some contexts but should be personalized with your provider.
  • Medical monitoring and tests
    • Regular lipid panels (total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, triglycerides) to track risk and treatment response.
    • Blood pressure checks, fasting glucose or HbA1c for diabetes risk, and high sensitivity CRP if inflammation assessment is indicated.
    • Discuss your family history and overall risk with your clinician to determine whether additional testing or preventive medications are appropriate.

Interpreting Your rs5174 Result

The section below explains three possible genotypes at rs5174 in the LRP8 gene. Each entry describes what the genotype typically implies about LRP8 function and practical next steps. Use the expand/collapse panels to view the interpretation that matches your result.

Two effect alleles (TT)

What this means

The TT genotype means you carry two copies of the T effect allele at rs5174. This genotype has been associated with an increased risk for coronary artery disease. It may influence how your body processes cholesterol and how platelets behave, potentially making plaque buildup and clot formation more likely.

Actionable considerations

  • Prioritize aggressive lifestyle measures: heart-healthy diet, regular exercise, weight control, and smoking avoidance.
  • Schedule regular lipid and blood pressure monitoring with your clinician. Discuss whether more frequent testing or earlier preventive therapy is appropriate.
  • Consider meeting with a dietitian for a personalized nutrition plan focused on lowering LDL and triglycerides and improving overall cardiovascular health.
  • Ask your clinician about omega-3 use, aspirin only if clinically indicated, and any guideline-directed preventive medications given your full risk profile.
  • Manage other risk factors aggressively: control blood pressure, manage diabetes if present, and reduce chronic inflammation where possible.
One effect allele (CT)

What this means

The CT genotype means you carry one copy of the T effect allele. This is associated with a likely increased risk for coronary artery disease, but the effect is generally smaller than with TT. Lifestyle and clinical risk factors still play a large role.

Actionable considerations

  • Adopt and maintain heart-healthy lifestyle measures: balanced diet, physical activity, healthy weight, and tobacco avoidance.
  • Monitor lipids and blood pressure regularly and review results with your clinician to decide if treatment or intensified prevention is needed.
  • Consider targeted dietary strategies to improve lipid levels, such as increasing soluble fiber, replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats, and including fatty fish.
  • Discuss supplements like omega-3s with your clinician if triglycerides are elevated or if diet is insufficient in EPA/DHA.
No effect alleles (CC)

What this means

The CC genotype means you carry two copies of the non-effect allele and do not carry the T variant linked to altered LRP8 function. Your LRP8-based genetic risk for coronary artery disease is typical for this locus.

Actionable considerations

  • Continue standard heart-healthy behaviors: balanced eating, regular exercise, maintaining healthy weight, and good sleep and stress management.
  • Keep routine screening and monitoring as advised by your clinician to detect and manage other risk factors.
  • Remember that a normal result at this site does not guarantee low overall risk. Genetics explain only part of the picture, and lifestyle remains highly influential.

Final Notes and Important Disclaimer

PlexusDx provides this information to help you understand how a variation at rs5174 in the LRP8 gene may relate to heart disease risk. This information is educational only and is not medical advice. Genetic testing is one component of risk assessment. Always discuss your genetic results, lifestyle changes, medications, and testing plans with your healthcare provider to create a safe, personalized prevention and treatment plan.