LipidCurious

What do you do when a 100+ page evidence-rich guideline drops? Most of us intend to read it, save it for later… and never really use it effectively. Not because we do not care, but because we were never taught how to read them. In this episode, we take a different approach. Using the recently published 2026 multisociety dyslipidemia guideline as an example, and drawing from my experience as a guid...

Let’s talk about statins. I know… boring, right? Most of us already know a lot about them. But thinking of statins only as cholesterol drugs misses the bigger picture. In many ways, statins are best understood as anti-atherosclerotic therapies that modify plaque biology, vascular inflammation, and cardiovascular risk far beyond simple LDL reduction. In this episode, we cover: Pleiotropic effects o...

In this special LipidCurious Inspiration episode, Dr. Vishnu Priya Pulipati, MD, FACE, DiplABCL, sits down with legendary lipid educator Dr. Thomas Dayspring, MD, FACP, FNLA, for a conversation beyond guidelines and numbers. Together, they explore the personal stories, career pivots, and defining moments that shaped a five-decade journey in medicine and lipidology. From evolving clinical passions...

Note: This episode reflects pre-2026 dyslipidemia guidelines. Some recommendations may no longer align with current guidelines.  ASCVD prevention isn’t about numbers; it’s about extending healthy years.  Treat the right individual, at the right time, with the right intensity, and you give them more shared birthdays, more anniversaries, and more ordinary Tuesday dinners with the person they love. I...

Note: This episode reflects pre-2026 dyslipidemia guidelines. Some recommendations may no longer align with current guidelines.  ASCVD risk stratification gets messy fast—especially when calculators, risk enhancers, and coronary calcium scores all compete for attention. In Part 2 of the LipidCurious ASCVD Risk Stratification mini-series , we focus on how to use these tools without overcomplicating...

Note: This episode reflects pre-2026 dyslipidemia guidelines. Some recommendations may no longer align with current guidelines.  ASCVD risk stratification should be straightforward, but in real clinic time, it often isn’t. Multiple guidelines, limited time, overlapping categories, and nonstop competing priorities make lipid decisions feel harder than they need to be. In Part 1 of this LipidCurious...

Hi everyone. Happy New Year.  As the new year 2026 unfolds, I want to share three things in this episode. 1. What I hope LipidCurious continues to represent. 2. What I’m working on right now. 3. How I’m thinking about content on this platform moving forward.  I see LipidCurious as a shared journey between you and me. Let’s build it thoughtfully, together.  If you have ideas you’d like to share, I’...

Inflammation!  We use the word all day in the clinic. We blame it for half the problems in medicine. Yet when you strip it down to its core, inflammation is one of the most misunderstood forces in cardiometabolic medicine.  In this episode of LipidCurious, we discuss 1.    What is inflammation? 2.    How do we measure it? 3.    How do we treat it? By the end, you’ll walk away with a sharper, clean...

Most heart attacks don’t start with a clogged artery! They start with a microscopic storm — a small, invisible wound inside the artery wall. That storm begins decades before symptoms, sometimes before high school. By the time someone hits their forties or fifties, the real question isn’t whether atherosclerosis has begun…It’s how far it’s already gone. Let’s zoom in — literally inside the artery w...

LDL may get all the blame — but there’s a darker twin hiding in the shadows. Same cholesterol core. Same ApoB backbone. But with one sinister twist: a sticky tail called apolipoprotein(a). That extra piece transforms an ordinary LDL particle into something far more dangerous.  Meet Lipoprotein(a) — or Lp(a) — one of the strongest, most under-recognized genetic drivers of premature cardiovascular d...

LDL-C is the number we’ve all been trained to chase. But what if the real culprit isn’t the cholesterol itself… but the number of particles carrying it?  Meet ApoB — the quiet truth-teller of lipidology. It doesn’t care how perfect your LDL number looks. It counts every atherogenic particle capable of injuring the arterial wall — the true measure of risk hiding beneath the surface.  In this episod...

For decades, HDL — the so-called “good cholesterol” — has been celebrated as the body’s knight in shining armor. Patients brag about their high HDL levels like it’s a shield against heart disease. But is HDL truly the hero we once thought?  In this episode of LipidCurious, we’ll separate myth from science and uncover the real story of HDL:   Why is HDL called the “good cholesterol” — and is that n...

Picture an atherosclerotic artery as a crime scene. Cholesterol piles up on the walls — thick deposits blocking what should be a free-flowing highway of blood. For decades, cholesterol was blamed as the culprit. But here’s the twist: cholesterol is just the passenger. The real suspects are the lipoproteins — the vehicles smuggling cholesterol into places it doesn’t belong.  In this episode of Lipi...

Cholesterol is one of the most talked-about molecules in medicine — and one of the most misunderstood.  It’s essential for life, but when carried in the wrong lipoproteins, it becomes the driving force behind atherosclerosis.   In this episode of LipidCurious , we step away from the headlines and hype to explore what cholesterol really means for clinical practice and board prep.  Here’s what we’ll...

We tell patients to “eat more healthy fats” — but what does that actually mean? Why is coconut oil villainized while olive oil gets the heart-healthy halo — even though both come from plants? Why does cheese get a pass on the charcuterie board, but butter gets the side-eye — even though both are saturated fats? The truth is, fatty acids aren’t just a diet label. They’re central players in inflamma...

When you see elevated triglycerides on a lab report, what’s your first move? Diet talk? Lifestyle handout? It’s time to pause — because triglycerides aren’t just about carbs and alcohol. They can be a clue to deeper issues: insulin resistance, hepatic strain, even pancreatitis risk. In this episode of LipidCurious , we take a deep dive into: What triglycerides actually are? Why triglycerides go up...

Welcome to Season 1 Episode 1 of LipidCurious — the podcast dedicated to demystifying lipids for medical boards and real-world clinical practice.  If you’ve ever looked at a lipid panel and felt unsure what it really means, this episode is your starting point.  In this kickoff episode, we cover: 1. What are lipids?  2. Their defining “superpowers.”  3. How are lipids classified — and why that matt...

Ever looked at a lipid panel and thought, “Okay… now what?” LDL-C may be at goal, but your patient still ends up in the cath lab. Triglycerides are high — is it diet, insulin resistance, or something deeper?  Welcome to LipidCurious — the podcast dedicated to demystifying lipids for medical boards and real-world clinical practice. In this kickoff episode, the host shares:  Why LipidCurious Exists...