Because Good Medicine Deserves Better Explanations
Lipid biomarkers are frequently used to assess the risk of heart disease. A simple blood test provides information about LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) (1), commonly nicknamed the bad cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C) (2), often called the good cholesterol. Triglycerides are usually measured as well (3). For many different reasons, lowering LDL-C has become a primary target for the prevention of heart disease. Evidence … Read more
Elevated blood cholesterol is a common reason why people see their doctor. Most of us have been told that high cholesterol increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, and we are usually urged to lower it by any means available. But, the problem is that high cholesterol is often harmless, and heart disease can occur in the absence of … Read more
For decades, scientists have been trying to find out what causes heart disease. Although we have gained some knowledge along the way, many questions remain unanswered. Instead of providing clear answers, scientific research often raises a set of new issues that have to be addressed. The American physicist, Thomas S. Kuhn wrote that “to be scientific is among … 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
The diverging trends in heart disease and diabetes represent a public health paradox of immense importance. Obesity and type 2 diabetes are well-known risk factors for coronary heart disease. However, whereas the prevalence of obesity and type 2 diabetes is increasing, the death rate from coronary heart disease is declining. This interesting paradox was recently addressed in two … Read more
