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The Current

This cholesterol test could save your life

5/7/202621 min

Darren Ali was a healthy 45 year old when he had a massive heart attack that could have killed him. He wants everyone to learn from his experience and get tested for the cholesterol Lipoprotein(a) because it could save their lives. And we'll hear from a doctor about how this cholesterol can cause unexpected heart attacks among younger and otherwise healthy people -- and why new guidance recommends getting tested.

Clips

The moment it hit
Surviving the widow-maker
Four minutes from death
His plea: test for Lp(a)
What helps—and what doesn’t
Guideline gap revealed
A 25-year-old in triage
A missed warning sign
Daughter’s high Lp(a) journey
Measure it once, save lives

Transcript preview

First 90 seconds

  1. Speaker 00:00

    All your favorite CBC podcasts are now available on YouTube. The best in award-winning true crime investigations, hilarious comedies, vibrant pop culture conversations, and even more audio series are all available on CBC Podcasts YouTube channel. You'll also find exclusive video first episodes, YouTube Shorts, and behind-the-scenes content from our hosts and producers that you can't find anywhere else. So if YouTube is your go-to source for podcasts, just search CBC Podcasts and hit Subscribe, and you'll never miss the latest update.

  2. Matt Galloway· Host0:28

    [upbeat music] This is a CBC podcast. Hello, I'm Matt Galloway, and this is The Current Podcast. At 45 years old, Darrin Ali believed he was a healthy man. Didn't smoke, was young, happily married, life was good. And then in 2019, the unthinkable happened. He had a massive heart attack that no one saw coming. And Darrin Ali's experience is a warning to the approximately eight million Canadians who have high levels of a type of cholesterol doctors call lipoprotein, little A, or Lp(a). Many people have no idea they have this kind of high cholesterol because there is no routine screening for Lp(a). In a moment, we'll speak with one of the doctors involved in creating newly published guidance aimed at raising awareness around Lp(a). But first, we're joined by Darrin Ali. He is in Maple Ridge, British Columbia. Darrin, good morning.

  3. Darrin Ali· Guest1:19

    Hi, good morning to you, Matt.

  4. Matt Galloway· Host1:20

    This story starts on a night that you and your wife happened to go on vacation to Vancouver, right?

  5. Darrin Ali· Guest1:25

    Yeah. Um, we're taking a, a little local,

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