Today we are continuing our cholesterol series. In part one – we discussed what cholesterol actually is.  We learned that our body needs cholesterol in order to build healthy cells.  Cholesterol is a part of the outer layer of our cells, the membrane of the cells.  It is also the initial part of the steroidogenic pathway.  In part two we dove deep into LDL and HDL.  We discussed that cholesterol cannot travel throughout the body on its own – it needs a friend.  LDL is responsible for moving cholesterol throughout the body to the tissues, whereas HDL’s role is to bring cholesterol from the tissues back to the liver.  If you missed either of those episodes, I highly suggest you go back and listen to episodes 18 and 19.  The information discussed in those shows will help to build the foundation for better understanding your cardiovascular health.  In part three, we dove deep into apolipoproteins.  We talked about their role in the regulation of lipoprotein metabolism and their impact on atherosclerotic disease.  We discussed the differences between apolipoprotein B and apolipoprotein A.  Today will focus on genetics with regards to cholesterol. This is a crucial consideration in order to optimize treatment strategies. We will discuss several different genes that play a vital role with cardiovascular health.

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** Interesting articles for more information**

The Relationship between Dietary Fatty Acids and Inflammatory Genes on the Obese Phenotype and Serum Lipids: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3708344/

Hypercholesterolemia: The role of PCSK9: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28587771/

Guidelines for Diagnosis and Treatment of Familial Hypercholesterolemia 2017: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6099072/

Familial Hypercholesterolemia: https://www.cdc.gov/genomics/disease/fh/FH.htm

Impact of Statins on Cardiovascular Outcomes Following Coronary Artery Calcium Scoring: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6309473/

Development and validation of an isoform-independent monoclonal antibody–based ELISA for measurement of lipoprotein(a): https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9352967/

Statin Effects on Vascular Calcification: https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/epub/10.1161/ATVBAHA.120.315737

Lipoprotein (a): truly a direct prothrombotic factor in cardiovascular disease?: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022227520309792#:~:text=Elevated%20Lp(a)%20levels%20have,fibrinolysis%20(86%2C%2087)

Lipoprotein Lipase: Is It a Magic Target for the Treatment of Hypertriglyceridemia: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9449100/

APOC-III: a Gatekeeper in Controlling Triglyceride Metabolism: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9947064/