Because Good Medicine Deserves Better Explanations
Not long ago, I saw a 58-year-old man who had done “everything right.” His LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) was well controlled on a statin, his blood pressure stable, and he exercised regularly. But he carried extra weight around his waist, his triglycerides were persistently high, and a CT scan revealed clear signs of atherosclerosis in his … Read more
He knew it was coming. The way a storm announces itself in the bones.The way a man knows the land he’ll die on. Lyndon Baines Johnson had already faced the thing most men spend their lives avoiding: death. It had gripped his chest, dropped him to the bedroom floor of his Texas ranch, and whispered … Read more
In cardiovascular medicine, some numbers are sacred. LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) has long been the cornerstone of risk assessment and treatment targets. But what if we’ve been following the wrong number? This updated article revisits and expands on a piece I wrote in 2021 — enriched by new evidence, deeper clinical insights, and a clearer understanding of … Read more
It’s called Lipoprotein(a), or Lp(a) for short. And if you haven’t had it measured, you’re not alone—most people haven’t. In fact, most of you may have never heard of it. It’s not part of a standard lipid panel. It doesn’t show up in routine check-ups. And yet, one in five people carry levels so high … Read more
Just days ago, something remarkable happened.
FDA Commissioner Marty Makary stood at a podium and said what would’ve once been unthinkable.
That dogma still lives large,” he declared, referring to America’s decades-long war on saturated fat. “You see remnants of it in the food guidelines that we are now revising.”
It wasn’t just a revision. It was a rebuke.
Makary didn’t mince words. He called the foundational science behind decades of dietary advice—especially…