Why and How To Lower Triglycerides in People at Risk of Heart Disease

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 human cells. Triglyceride concentration can be measured in blood and may provide valuable information about … Read more

LDL-Cholesterol – The “Bad” Cholesterol Explained

There are several reasons why we should be interested in the amount of cholesterol circulating in our bloodstream. However, to interpret our cholesterol numbers, we have to know certain things about cholesterol and its role in health and disease. What Is Cholesterol? Cholesterol is classified as a sterol (a combination of steroid and alcohol) and … Read more

The CANTOS Trial – Is Targeting Inflammation the Solution to Heart Disease?

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

From Low-Fat, High-Carb to Insulin Resistance, Fatty Liver, and Heart Disease

I recently gave a talk at a meeting with colleagues, most of them cardiologists and endocrinologists, where I, among other things, discussed the current status of diet-heart hypothesis and the possible relationship between our fear of dietary fats and the obesity epidemic. After the meeting, a senior colleague of mine, an old friend, and a … Read more

VLDL – The Role of Triglyceride-Rich Lipoproteins and Remnant Cholesterol

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