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Providing independent clinical excellence since 2005

The SCVC Blog

Cardiovascular care news and articles from our expert team

PCSK9, visceral fat, and the modern metabolic environment

Because cholesterol is a fat-like substance, it cannot dissolve or travel freely in blood, which is mostly water. To move around, it must be packaged into microscopic transport particles called lipoproteins. One of these, LDL (low-density lipoprotein), acts as the main delivery vehicle, carrying cholesterol from the liver to cells that need it for repair or hormone production. In small amounts, LDL cholesterol is therefore completely normal and necessary. The problem only begins when too much LDL remains circulating in the blood for too long.

So what does determine your LDL (‘bad’) Cholesterol?

Statins are a mind boggling biological 'ruse'. When this medication is taken orally, it causes liver cells to become deficient in essential cholesterol, so they respond by increasing the number of cell surface LDL receptors, thereby enhancing their capacity to extract LDL particles from the blood, significantly lowering circulating LDL levels. Statins remain the most effective and well-known way that doctors can lower LDL levels to prevent or treat coronary heart disease.

Five Reasons Why a Cardiologist Might Recommend a Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) to their Patient

Continuous glucose monitoring offers a valuable tool for anyone concerned with their long-term health, especially those with a family history of diabetes or other cardiovascular risk factors. Whether through self-monitoring or professional analysis such as our metabolic health assessment, CGMs can provide actionable insights that help individuals manage their glucose levels more effectively, ultimately contributing to a healthier, longer life. By understanding and managing your glucotype, optimising your diet and exercise, and taking steps to prevent prediabetes and diabetes, you can potentially avoid serious health conditions in the future.