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A red flag next to your LDL number can feel alarming, but LDL is only one part of a much larger cardiovascular risk picture. In this episode of Metabolic Mind, cardiologist and lipidologist Dr. Bret Scher explains how to read a cholesterol panel with more context and less fear.
Dr. Scher walks through LDL, triglycerides, HDL, non-HDL cholesterol, ApoB, Lp(a), and the triglyceride-to-HDL ratio. He also explains how the 2026 cholesterol guidelines use the PREVENT risk calculator, where LDL targets currently stand, and why individual risk factors, metabolic health, family history, and direct measures of vascular disease can change the conversation.
He covers:
- Why LDL should not be read in isolation
- What triglycerides and HDL can reveal about metabolic health
- Why Dr. Scher pays attention to the triglyceride-to-HDL ratio
- When LDL above 190 may raise concern for familial hypercholesterolemia
- Why Lp(a) should be measured at least once in adulthood
- How ApoB differs from LDL cholesterol
- What the PREVENT risk calculator includes
- How coronary calcium scans and CT angiograms act as tools that may help refine risk
- Why LDL targets vary by risk category
- Why metabolic health, insulin resistance, and individual preferences and priorities should be part of the discussion
A cholesterol panel can start a thoughtful conversation with your healthcare provider. One number rarely tells the whole story, and better decisions come from looking at the full cardiometabolic picture.
📘 Download Making Sense of Your Cholesterol, our free visual guide to understanding your lipid panel and preparing questions for your clinician: https://metmind.co/cholesterol-listeners
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Expert Featured:
Bret Scher, MD - Baszucki Group Medical Director & Host of the Metabolic Mind Podcast
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/bret-scher-08baaa102/
- https://www.instagram.com/drscher858/?hl=en
- https://x.com/bschermd
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Follow our channel for more information and education from Bret Scher, MD, FACC, including interviews with leading experts in Metabolic Psychiatry.
Learn more about metabolic psychiatry and find helpful resources at https://metabolicmind.org/
About us:
Metabolic Mind is a non-profit initiative of Baszucki Group working to transform the study and treatment of mental disorders by exploring the connection between metabolism and brain health. We leverage the science of metabolic psychiatry and personal stories to offer education, community, and hope to people struggling with mental health challenges and those who care for them.
Our channel is for informational purposes only. We are not providing individual or group medical or healthcare advice nor establishing a provider-patient relationship. Many of the interventions we discuss can have dramatic or potentially dangerous effects if done without proper supervision. Consult your healthcare provider before changing your lifestyle or medications.
