The IDF has begun implementing a new genetic blood test to identify elevated risk for heart attacks and strokes years before they occur, the IDF Medical Corps said this week.
The test measures lipoprotein(a), a fatty blood protein, and will be offered once in a lifetime from age 35 to strengthen preventive care and reduce cardiac morbidity.
Text messages began going out this week to career service personnel aged 35 and older, inviting them to take the lipoprotein(a) test, which is recognized internationally as a leading genetic risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
The move places the IDF at the forefront of public bodies in Israel applying advanced preventive medicine, as the test is not yet part of routine screening in the health funds.
What is lipoprotein(a)
Lipoprotein(a) is a lipid particle structurally similar to LDL cholesterol. Unlike other blood-fat measures, its level is genetically determined and does not change with diet, exercise, or lifestyle, so a single test is typically sufficient, often starting at age 35 or earlier when there is a family history of heart disease.
Over the past decade, multiple studies have linked elevated lipoprotein(a) to significantly higher risks of heart attack, ischemic stroke, coronary artery disease, and aortic valve stenosis. The molecule’s structure promotes its adherence to vessel walls and accelerates inflammatory processes that form atherosclerotic plaque.
Policy gap in Israel
Although awareness is growing and international cardiology societies recommend including lipoprotein(a) in population screening, the test has not been fully adopted by Israel’s public health system.
Israel’s task force on cardiovascular prevention has previously supported its use, yet a uniform national policy has not been finalized. The IDF chose to proceed independently for all career personnel.
A senior IDF Medical Corps physician said the decision aims to expand early detection and give older soldiers a chance to prevent life-threatening cardiac events. The mass SMS rollout for those over 35 is meant to raise awareness and flag inherited risks not driven by lifestyle.
Advanced research is underway on targeted drugs to lower lipoprotein(a), with therapies expected to enter use in the coming years.
The test is a standard blood draw, with results typically returned to the unit physician within days. Values under about 30 mg/dL are generally considered within the normal range, while higher levels represent a significant risk factor. Elevated results may lead clinicians to intensify lipid-lowering therapy, adjust medications, or schedule closer follow-up.
The IDF says the test is available now via referral from military physicians across units and is intended to be performed once in a lifetime.
The IDF noted that for career personnel, prolonged service, physical and mental stress, irregular hours, and high-pressure environments can all raise cardiovascular risk. The test is intended to be performed once only and is already available via referral from military physicians across units.
Global health systems increasingly recognize lipoprotein(a) as a major inherited driver of cardiovascular disease. Because it cannot be modified through diet or exercise, early identification supports personalized preventive care. In Israel, while the test is scientifically validated, public funding has not been approved. The IDF’s move is expected to increase awareness and set a public-sector precedent.