Because Good Medicine Deserves Better Explanations
Behind the HeadlinesHe wasn’t lazy. He was fighting a chronic disease no one had words for. In this first episode of The Heart of Power, we explore the personal cost of medical blind spots—and the legacy of a misunderstood patient. “It took four men to pull the president from the bathtub.” The newspapers had a … Read more
He wasn’t exactly a poster child for heart health. He loved steak, hated vegetables, and didn’t care much for doctors. His LDL-cholesterol hovered around 200 mg/dL (5.17 mmol/L) for most of his adult life. Yet, at age 88, his arteries were clean—and his mind sharper than ever. Meanwhile, his neighbor—an avid cyclist with “perfect” cholesterol—underwent … Read more
He’s just poured his first cup of coffee. The house is quiet; the day just beginning. A minute ago, he noticed a light sweat along his back — strange but easy to ignore. Then it hits. A tightness in his chest, deep and growing. A wave of nausea. His skin turns cold and clammy. He … Read more
The role of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in the evolution of heart disease is fairly well established. In addition, the benefits of pharmacological treatment with agents that lower LDL-C in high-risk patients are well documented. Lipoproteins are biochemical structures that enable the transport of lipids such as cholesterol in the circulation. LDL-C represents the amount … Read more
Apolipoprotein B (ApoB) is a protein that plays an important role in the development of heart disease. Elevated blood levels of ApoB indicate an increased risk. Actually, ApoB may be a stronger predictor of risk than commonly used lipid markers such as LDL-cholesterol (1). ApoB is an important component of lipoproteins that participate in the … Read more
