Why LDL is Not Enough: The Tests Your Doctor is Missing to Assess Your Risk of Heart Disease | Know Your Numbers
Mark Hyman
Feb 16, 2024
Mindsip insights from this episode:
Address insulin resistance to combat heart disease
The major root cause for heart disease today, aside from some genetic disorders, is insulin resistance from a diet high in starch and sugar.
Monitor triglyceride-to-HDL ratio to assess heart disease risk
A triglyceride-to-HDL ratio greater than two-to-one is a highly predictive marker for insulin resistance and heart disease risk.
Utilize AI-enabled coronary CT angiogram to detect dangerous plaque
An AI-enabled coronary CT angiogram, like the one from the company Clearly, is the new gold standard for identifying dangerous, soft, non-calcified plaque.
Eliminate alcohol to reduce heart disease risk
A 2022 study of 370,000 people found that no amount of alcohol is protective, and all levels were associated with an increased risk of heart disease.
Reevaluate LDL cholesterol as a heart attack predictor
In a study of 136,000 patients hospitalized with heart attacks, 75% had a 'normal' LDL cholesterol level.
Reassess statin use for primary prevention of heart attacks
For primary prevention, you have to treat 217 people with a statin for five years to prevent just one non-fatal heart attack.
Identify lean mass hyper-responders on high-saturated-fat ketogenic diets
Some thin, fit people are 'lean mass hyper-responders' who experience a dramatic, unhealthy spike in LDL particles on a high-saturated-fat ketogenic diet.
Track ApoB to assess cardiovascular risk effectively
Of all the cholesterol biomarkers, Apolipoprotein B (ApoB) is the most important one to track for assessing cardiovascular risk, not LDL.
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