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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 guideline co-author, we focus on how to read and apply any guideline without getting overwhelmed. I walk through a simple 3-step framework to break down dense guidelines and turn them into practical clinical decisions. Guidelines do not change practice. How we use them does. Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for educational purposes for clinicians and healthcare professionals. It does not provide medical advice, establish a physician–patient relationship, or replace individualized clinical judgment. The opinions expressed are those of the creator and do not represent the views of any affiliated institutions or organizations.

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 of statins beyond LDL-C loweringChoosing the right statin in special populationsWhy statins remain foundational therapy even in the era of newer lipid-lowering drugsWhether you prescribe statins daily or want a deeper understanding of why they work so well, this episode revisits the science behind one of the most important therapies in preventive cardiology. Bonus: Visual guide to help you navigate the episode. Join the Learn at Pinnacle app ⁠to earn FREE CE Credit for listening to this episode!  Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for educational purposes for clinicians and healthcare professionals. It does not provide medical advice, establish a physician–patient relationship, or replace individualized clinical judgment. The opinions expressed are those of the creator and do not represent the views of any affiliated institutions or organizations.

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 to the power of teaching and lifelong curiosity, this episode is a reflective look at sustaining purpose and inspiration in a long career, especially when the spark needs reigniting.  Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for educational purposes for clinicians and healthcare professionals. It does not provide medical advice, establish a physician–patient relationship, or replace individualized clinical judgment. The opinions expressed are those of the creator and do not represent the views of any affiliated institutions or organizations.

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. In Part 3 of the LipidCurious ASCVD Risk Stratification mini-series, we move from categorizing risk to taking action. Because risk scores don’t prevent events, decisions do.   In this episode, we cover: What treatment targets are we actually aiming for?How to choose LDL-C-lowering therapies strategically?What does the future of ASCVD prevention look like?Bonus: An easy-to-follow visual guide to help you navigate ASCVD Risk Stratification. Join the Learn at Pinnacle app ⁠to earn FREE CE Credit for listening to this episode!  Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for educational purposes for clinicians and healthcare professionals. It does not provide medical advice, establish a physician–patient relationship, or replace individualized clinical judgment. The opinions expressed are those of the creator and do not represent the views of any affiliated institutions or organizations.

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 primary prevention or getting lost in the details. In this episode, we cover: A practical, age-first framework for approaching primary preventionHow to use ASCVD risk calculators, risk enhancers, and coronary calcium score—and when not toHow to apply this framework consistently in real-world clinical practiceBonus: Two quick cases—including one where guidelines don’t fit perfectly—and a short, actionable challenge you can start using immediately in clinic. Join the Learn at Pinnacle app ⁠to earn FREE CE Credit for listening to this episode!  Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for educational purposes for clinicians and healthcare professionals. It does not provide medical advice, establish a physician–patient relationship, or replace individualized clinical judgment. The opinions expressed are those of the creator and do not represent the views of any affiliated institutions or organizations.

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 mini-series, I walk you through how I approach ASCVD risk BEFORE I ever open an ASCVD Risk calculator using a practical, repeatable framework grounded in the 2018 AHA/ACC guideline, with AACE, NLA, and ADA guidance layered in where it adds clarity. In this episode, we cover: Why ASCVD risk stratification mattersWhere I start every single time (screening & what to check)The THREE questions that guide most lipid decisions!Clinical ASCVD?LDL-C ≥190 mg/dL?Diabetes Mellitus age 40–75?Bonus: You’ll also hear two quick cases that show how much you can decide without a calculator. Join the Learn at Pinnacle app ⁠to earn FREE CE Credit for listening to this episode!  Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for educational purposes for clinicians and healthcare professionals. It does not provide medical advice, establish a physician–patient relationship, or replace individualized clinical judgment. The opinions expressed are those of the creator and do not represent the views of any affiliated institutions or organizations.

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’d love to hear from you. This includes:  Topics you'd like to be discussed in an episodeCollaboration idea with groups or societies aligned with the mission of expanding cardiometabolic medicine.Mentors in the cardiometabolic space you’d love to see highlighted in an episodeCardiometabolic or lipid-focused training opportunities for our colleagues to explore.Non-clinical topic you want discussed in a future episode.  Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for educational purposes for clinicians and healthcare professionals. It does not provide medical advice, establish a physician–patient relationship, or replace individualized clinical judgment. The opinions expressed are those of the creator and do not represent the views of any affiliated institutions or organizations.

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, cleaner understanding of inflammation’s role in cardiometabolic disease — and how to act on it in everyday practice.  And finally, a heartfelt wrap-up of Season 1, the journey behind building LipidCurious, and where this platform may go next.  Join the Learn at Pinnacle app ⁠to earn FREE CE Credit for listening to this episode!  Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for educational purposes for clinicians and healthcare professionals. It does not provide medical advice, establish a physician–patient relationship, or replace individualized clinical judgment. The opinions expressed are those of the creator and do not represent the views of any affiliated institutions or organizations.

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 wall — and trace this disease from its very first spark. From the moment an ApoB-containing particle sneaks beneath the endothelium… To the slow, simmering inflammation that follows… To the day a plaque finally stops being silent. In this episode of LipidCurious, we’ll uncover  Anatomy & The Birth of an Atherosclerotic PlaqueWhy Some Arteries Are More Prone to AtherosclerosisSeeing, Treating, and Reversing AtherosclerosisYou’ll walk away seeing cholesterol numbers in a completely different light — not as abstract labs, but as a daily pressure on the artery wall. By the end, you’ll understand why atherosclerosis is the slow burn beneath the surface — invisible for years, yet capable of erupting into the events we fear most.  Join the Learn at Pinnacle app ⁠to earn FREE CE Credit for listening to this episode!  Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for educational purposes for clinicians and healthcare professionals. It does not provide medical advice, establish a physician–patient relationship, or replace individualized clinical judgment. The opinions expressed are those of the creator and do not represent the views of any affiliated institutions or organizations.

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 disease. It’s pro-atherogenic, pro-thrombotic, and pro-inflammatory — a triple threat that can quietly turn even the healthiest-looking lipid panel into a ticking time bomb.  In this episode of LipidCurious, we’ll uncover  1.    What is Lp(a)?  2.    How and when to test for it?  3.    What to do when Lp(a) is high? We’ll walk through genetics, testing strategy, and real-world management — plus a glimpse into the promising therapies now in late-phase trials. By the end, you’ll understand why Lp(a) is the ghost in the lipid story — invisible on a standard panel, but capable of haunting even the fittest hearts.  Join the Learn at Pinnacle app ⁠to earn FREE CE Credit for listening to this episode!  Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for educational purposes for clinicians and healthcare professionals. It does not provide medical advice, establish a physician–patient relationship, or replace individualized clinical judgment. The opinions expressed are those of the creator and do not represent the views of any affiliated institutions or organizations.

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 episode of LipidCurious, we’ll dig into what makes ApoB the stronger, sharper, and more honest marker of atherogenic burden:  1.    Why ApoB is a better measure of atherogenic burden  2.    How ApoB drives atherosclerosis  3.    How ApoB fits into clinical practice  We’ll also explore practical takeaways — when to order ApoB, what cutoffs to use, and how to apply it when your LDL and ApoB numbers don’t agree. By the end, you’ll see why every atherogenic particle counts — and why ApoB just might be the number that finally tells the truth about cardiovascular risk. Join the Learn at Pinnacle app ⁠to earn FREE CE Credit for listening to this episode!  Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for educational purposes for clinicians and healthcare professionals. It does not provide medical advice, establish a physician–patient relationship, or replace individualized clinical judgment. The opinions expressed are those of the creator and do not represent the views of any affiliated institutions or organizations.

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 nickname really fair?What exactly is reverse cholesterol transport, and why does it matter? Why did drugs that raise HDL fail to improve cardiovascular outcomes? We’ll also explore clinical twists: how HDL can become dysfunctional in high-triglyceride states, and why extremely high HDL might not always be protective. Join the Learn at Pinnacle app ⁠to earn FREE CE Credit for listening to this episode!  Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for educational purposes for clinicians and healthcare professionals. It does not provide medical advice, establish a physician–patient relationship, or replace individualized clinical judgment. The opinions expressed are those of the creator and do not represent the views of any affiliated institutions or organizations.

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 LipidCurious, we’re stepping into the role of detective. We’ll assemble a lipoprotein from scratch, meet the different lipoproteins, and follow their pathways through the body.  Here’s what we’ll cover together: 1.    Structure and types of Lipoproteins 2.    Exogenous and endogenous pathways of lipid metabolism 3.    How cholesterol-lowering medications leverage lipid biology Join the Learn at Pinnacle app ⁠to earn FREE CE Credit for listening to this episode!  Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for educational purposes for clinicians and healthcare professionals. It does not provide medical advice, establish a physician–patient relationship, or replace individualized clinical judgment. The opinions expressed are those of the creator and do not represent the views of any affiliated institutions or organizations.

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 unpack together: 1.     The Cholesterol paradox — why it’s both essential and dangerous. 2.     How cholesterol is carried and measured in blood. 3.     LDL-C in clinical practice — Targets, Percent Reduction, and How Low is Too Low  Join the Learn at Pinnacle app ⁠to earn FREE CE Credit for listening to this episode!  Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for educational purposes for clinicians and healthcare professionals. It does not provide medical advice, establish a physician–patient relationship, or replace individualized clinical judgment. The opinions expressed are those of the creator and do not represent the views of any affiliated institutions or organizations.

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 inflammation, lipid metabolism, insulin resistance, and even gene expression. In this episode of LipidCurious, we go beyond the good-vs-bad debate and unpack what clinicians really need to know about fatty acids — from molecular structure to bedside application.  What You’ll Learn in This Episode  1.     What are fatty acids? 2.     The major types of fatty acids 3.     How they show up in clinical practice Join the Learn at Pinnacle app ⁠to earn FREE CE Credit for listening to this episode!  Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for educational purposes for clinicians and healthcare professionals. It does not provide medical advice, establish a physician–patient relationship, or replace individualized clinical judgment. The opinions expressed are those of the creator and do not represent the views of any affiliated institutions or organizations.