Lipid Luminations

Dr. Terry A. Jacobson explains to host Dr. Larry Kaskel the importance of non-HDL cholesterol reporting in lipid management. Dr. Jacobson describes additional lipid parameters that are emerging as valuable adjuncts to the standard panel, including measurements of apolipopprtoeins and LDL particle size and concentration. Specifically, Dr. Jacobson outlines the importance of non-HDL-C as a secondary goal of therapy, and the advantages of non-HDL measurements over traditional lipid parameter for the prediction of cardiovascular events. Most importantly, Dr. Jacobson provides the simple calculation for this measurement which is not yet reported on standard lipid panels, but is easily accessible from the information on these routine panels.

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Host Dr. Larry Kaskel welcomes Dr. Don Wilson, professor and chair of pediatrics at the Texas A&M Health Sciences Center College of Medicine, to offer his counsel on the latest guidelines for pediatric cholesterol management. Why was this the time to revise previous recommendations? How do risk factors specific to the pediatric population interface with decisions on lifestyle adjustments, diet restrictions and medication advice for your young patients?

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The Interheart study identified nine easily measured factors that account for more than 90 percent of the risk of acute myocardial infarction, regardless of a patient's location, race or national origin. What are these factors, and how might they impact your practice? Host Dr. Larry Kaskel explores the implications of this study, and the potential development of uniform practice guidelines with Dr. Thomas Dayspring, clinical assistant professor of medicine at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey.

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The means for assessing cardiovascular risk include several new high technology developments. Dr. James Ehrlich, MD, a veteran in the development of advanced coronary risk assessment centers, educates us on the role of electron beam computed tomography (EBCT), endothelial function testing, and aspirin resistance testing in preventative cardiology. Dr. Ehrlich also examines the research concerning new biomarkers of vascular disease, such C-reactive protein and urine thrombaxane B2. Host Dr. Kaskel reviews with Dr Ehrlich the protocols for using these high tech devices prior to or in conjunction with ordering advanced imaging tests.

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Celebrities, often criticized for their dubious influence on the public, may inadvertently promote good health when a famous celebrity dies from a heart attack. Dr. James Erhlich discusses how the sudden death of a famous person heightens the general population’s interest in cardiovascular disease risk factors. Host Dr. Larry Kaskel explores with Dr. Erlich what these public deaths reveal about risk factors that can be overlooked by treating physicians.

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Often described as the phantom cause of heart disease, sleep apnea appears to be gaining recognition as more than just a nuisance. Host Dr. Larry Kaskel examines the connection between sleep apnea and intensified cardiac risk with Dr. James Ehrlich, chief medical officer of the cardiodiagnostic technology company Atherotech. Dr. Ehrlich details the diagnostic implications of this correlation, the importance of earlier detection, and at-home devices that can help us keep a closer eye on sleep apnea.

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Host Dr. Larry Kaskel welcomes Dr. Penny Kris-Etherton, PhD, RD to Lipid Luminations. Dr. Kris-Etherton is a distinguished professor of nutrition at Penn State University. The discussion will cover what health care professionals can do to increase cholestrol awareness in the general population as well as changes in guidelines and key resources that physicians can use to help with cholesterol lowering.

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Host Dr. Larry Kaskel welcomes Dr. William Harris, professor of basic biomedical sciences, and director of the Nutrition and Metabolic Disease Research Institute at the University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine, who highlights key issues from the ERA JUMP study, including available testing to measure omega-3 levels in the blood, and target values for the Omega-3 Index which he pioneered.

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Dr. Melvyn Rubenfire, professor of internal medicine and director of preventive cardiology at the University of Michigan Medical School, discusses recent findings that indicate statins may protect against cognitive deterioration among patients at high risk of dementia. How big an impact could be made by cholesterol-lowering drugs? Could we eventually incorporate statins into treatment patterns for dementia, and if so, what will it take to get us to this point? Dr. Larry Kaskel hosts.

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Dr. Larry Kaskel welcomes Dr. John Baxter to Lipid Luminations. Dr. Baxter is Senior Member at The Methodist Hospital in Houston, Texas as well at the Methodist Hospital Reasearch Institute. He will be discussing Thyroid Hormone Receptor Beta and Tissue Selective Uptake Antagonists. In particular, how they relate to the treatment of Atherosclerosis, Obesity and Diabetes. Selective thyroid hormone receptor subtype-beta (TRbeta) agonists have received attention as potential treatments for hypercholesterolemia and obesity, but have received less attention as treatments for diabetes.

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