This week, Dr. Danielle is hopping on the mic solo to dive into one of your most requested topics (drum roll, please) — cholesterol. As a cardiologist, lipids and cholesterol are practically her second language, and she has heard every question under the sun from her patients. In part one of this multi-part series, she covers the foundations of cholesterol, common terminology, and myths and misconceptions. Welcome to Cholesterol 101! On today’s episode, Danielle addresses the following questions surrounding cholesterol:

What is it and is it true your body needs it?

How does LDL cholesterol cause heart disease?

What does a lipid panel tell you?

What is the difference between total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and apo B, and how does each one relate to cardiovascular risk?

What are some of the values we are looking to target to get an optimal lipid panel?

Is it true that high HDL cholesterol is beneficial?

What is the difference between small vs large LDL particles and how do they impact the risk of developing atherosclerosis?

How useful are Triglyceride/HDL ratios in determining cardiovascular risk?

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