Triglycerides are important organic compounds. Most of the fat we consume in our diet is triglyceride and so is most of the fat we store in our body. Fatty acids contained in triglycerides are an essential source of energy for the cells of our body. Triglyceride concentration can be measured in blood and may provide … Read more
The recently published results of the long awaited CANTOS trial may forever change our approach to the prevention and treatment of coronary artery disease (1). Inescapably, there is now proof that targeting inflammation, in this case by a drug, significantly improves outcome for certain very high-risk patients. But, as so often in clinical research, things … Read more
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a relatively common sleep disorder with several potentially serious consequences. It causes breathing to stop and then start again intermittently during sleep. The word apnea describes suspension of breathing. OSA may seriously affect quality of life and is strongly associated with the risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, liver disorders, … Read more
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common disorder among women. It is characterized by menstrual irregularities, infertility, signs of androgen excess, and polycystic ovaries. It is often associated with obesity, insulin resistance, and lipid abnormalities. PCOS is the most common cause of infertility in women (1). PCOS was first described in 1934 by Irving F. Stein … Read more
More than eight million people in the U.S., almost 4% of the population, are estimated to suffer from gout. The disease often causes severe pain and physical disability. Gout is associated with increased blood levels of uric acid, called hyperuricemia. Uric acid is a biochemical substance the body has to deal with through our lifetime. It is an end … Read more
Knowing the role of VLDL (very low-density lipoprotein) and chylomicrons is a key factor in understanding how lipids (fats) and lipoproteins are involved in atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). In the current era of adiposity and metabolic disease, VLDL has gained a bigger role than before and may help explain many of the disorders associated with the obesity epidemic such … Read more
By now, all of us should know that we are in the throes of an obesity epidemic. Worldwide, over 500 million people are believed to be affected (1). Obesity in children and adolescents is on the rise and so is type 2 diabetes. And, according to the media and the experts, this will have horrible consequences that ultimately will … Read more
The association between lipid disorders and heart disease is well known. Medical checkups usually involve measurements of cholesterol and other lipid parameters, and most doctors advise their patients on how to improve their lipid pattern. Dietary interventions to lower the risk of heart disease commonly aim at reducing blood levels of cholesterol, LDL cholesterol in particular. This is … Read more
“Mark already ignores me. I think it is because I am in bed and I am a ‘stationary’ object, because once or twice at home when he saw me up and on the way to the toilet he evinced great interest at once. I am absolutely determined to check myself in any tendency to be … Read more
Approximately 30 percent of people in the United States have a disease that is characterized by abnormal deposits of fat in the liver. The disease is not contagious, and unlike many other disorders of the liver, it is not caused by overconsumption of alcohol. It is called non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and has become the leading cause of chronic liver disease … Read more