2026 ASCVD Prevention Guidelines: Deep Dive To Prevent Heart Disease Before It Begins

Dr.Alo and Hannah break down why cholesterol in your blood and cholesterol inside your brain operate as two separate systems, walking through the blood brain barrier, desmosterol, and what the largest statin and dementia studies actually show. Listeners get a clear, evidence based answer to the common fear that lowering LDL might harm memory or cognition. The episode also covers genetic risk factors, alternative drug options, and where the real research gaps still exist. https://dralo.net/links Read the full post: https://dralo.net/blog/brain-cholesterol Questions this episode answers:Do statins cause dementia or memory loss?Can lowering LDL cholesterol hurt your brain?What is desmosterol and why does it matter?Is brain cholesterol different from blood cholesterol?Does the apoE4 gene affect statin benefits?Are there statin alternatives that do not affect brain cholesterol? Keywords: statins and dementia, brain cholesterol, blood brain barrier, desmosterol, ldl and alzheimers, apob and dementia, pcsk9 inhibitors, bempedoic acid, apoe4 gene, vascular dementia, cholesterol myths, statin side effects This episode is for education only and is not medical advice. Talk to your own clinician about your own situation. #heart #cardiology #drAlo #cholesterol #statins #dementia #brainhealth #lipidology

Dr. Alo breaks down Frank's sign, the diagonal earlobe crease first described in 1973, and unpacks decades of studies linking it to coronary artery disease. You'll learn why the association is statistically real yet still fails as a standalone diagnostic test, plus what to actually do if you spot one in the mirror. https://dralo.net/links Read the full post: https://dralo.net/blog/franks-sign Questions this episode answers:What is frank's sign on the earlobe?Does an earlobe crease mean heart disease?Is the diagonal earlobe crease a real warning sign?How accurate is the earlobe crease test for coronary artery disease?Should I worry about a crease in my earlobe?What causes a diagonal earlobe crease? Keywords: frank's sign, earlobe crease, coronary artery disease, heart disease signs, cardiovascular risk factors, diagonal earlobe crease, atherosclerosis, cardiac screening, vascular health, heart attack risk, physical exam findings, preventive cardiology This episode is for education only and is not medical advice. Talk to your own clinician about your own situation. #heart #cardiology #drAlo #heartdisease #frankssign #preventivehealth

Dr. Alo digs into the biggest colchicine trial ever run and explains why it came back neutral even though earlier studies looked so promising. He walks through CLEAR SYNERGY, CONVINCE, and multiple Cochrane reviews to separate the real signal on heart attacks from the noise around mortality and safety. You will get a clear, practical answer on whether this cheap old gout drug belongs in a heart disease prevention plan. https://dralo.net/links Read the full post: https://dralo.net/blog/colchicine Questions this episode answers:Does colchicine actually prevent heart attacks?What did the CLEAR SYNERGY trial find about colchicine?Is colchicine safe for heart disease prevention?Why did the biggest colchicine trial come back neutral?Should I take colchicine if I have coronary artery disease?Does colchicine reduce risk of death from heart disease? Keywords: colchicine heart disease, colchicine cardiovascular, clear synergy trial, colchicine side effects, anti inflammatory heart drug, inflammation and atherosclerosis, colchicine stroke, colchicine primary prevention, colchicine mortality, low dose colchicine fda, colchicine diarrhea, cardiovascular inflammation hypothesis This episode is for education only and is not medical advice. Talk to your own clinician about your own situation. #heart #cardiology #drAlo #colchicine #heartdisease #inflammation #clinicaltrials

Why did a cholesterol drug take a year and a half to start saving lives, and why did people without any visible plaque benefit just as much as those with confirmed disease?Dr. Alo and Hannah break down the VESALIUS-CV mortality data, a rare cholesterol trial that measured actual deaths instead of just heart attacks and strokes, in people who had never had either. They cover the twenty percent drop in all-cause mortality, why the benefit only appeared after eighteen months, and what this means for anyone with plaque or high-risk diabetes still sitting on a borderline LDL. https://dralo.net/links Read the full post: https://dralo.net/blog/vesalius-repatha-all-cause-mortality Questions this episode answers:Why did the cholesterol drug take so long to reduce deaths?What is the VESALIUS-CV trial and what did it find?Does evolocumab reduce mortality in people without a prior heart attack?Should I stop my cholesterol medication if I feel no difference?What is apoB testing and why does it matter more than LDL?Does PCSK9 inhibitor therapy help people with diabetes but no visible plaque? Keywords: repatha, evolocumab, vesalius cv trial, pcsk9 inhibitor, ldl cholesterol, apob testing, cardiovascular mortality, atherosclerosis, statin therapy, heart attack prevention, cholesterol lowering drugs, primary prevention cardiology This episode is for education only and is not medical advice. Talk to your own clinician about your own situation. #heart #cardiology #drAlo #cholesterol #pcsk9 #ldl #heartdisease

A study of over 16,000 healthy adults with no history of heart disease used direct arterial imaging to check for plaque, and the results upend how doctors screen for risk.Dr. Alo walks through the REACT study's findings on silent atherosclerosis by age and sex, why a zero calcium score can still hide dangerous plaque, and why standard risk calculators miss the vast majority of people who already have disease. You'll leave knowing which tests actually catch early plaque and why your thirties matter more than you think. https://dralo.net/links Read the full post: https://dralo.net/blog/atherosclerosis-healthy-adults-REACT Questions this episode answers:Can you have plaque in your arteries with no symptoms?Does a zero calcium score mean my arteries are clean?How accurate are heart disease risk calculators?At what age does arterial plaque start forming?What is the REACT study on atherosclerosis?Should I get an apoB or Lipoprotein(a) test? Keywords: arterial plaque, atherosclerosis, coronary calcium score, apob test, lipoprotein a, heart disease risk, react study, cardiovascular risk calculator, silent heart disease, carotid ultrasound, ldl cholesterol, early heart disease prevention This episode is for education only and is not medical advice. Talk to your own clinician about your own situation. #heart #cardiology #drAlo #atherosclerosis #heartdisease #apob #preventivehealth

Dr.Alo digs into decades of fish oil trials, from early Japanese observations to VITAL, STRENGTH, and REDUCE-IT, to find out whether the supplement on your counter actually protects your heart. He breaks down why prescription EPA differs from over the counter capsules, exposes what independent testing found inside most supplement bottles, and shares exactly what he would do with his own lipid panel. https://dralo.net/links Read the full post: https://dralo.net/blog/fish Questions this episode answers:Does fish oil actually help your heart?What did the reduce it trial really show?Is prescription fish oil different from supplements?Should I take fish oil for high triglycerides?Does fish oil cause atrial fibrillation?Is eating fish better than taking fish oil pills? Keywords: fish oil heart health, omega 3 supplements, reduce it trial, epa and dha, prescription fish oil, vascepa, triglycerides treatment, statins and fish oil, fish oil supplement quality, cardiovascular risk reduction, lovaza, omega 3 clinical trials This episode is for education only and is not medical advice. Talk to your own clinician about your own situation. #heart #cardiology #drAlo #fishoil #omega3 #lipidology #hearthealth

Do seed oils like soybean oil actually raise inflammation, or is that just a social media myth? This episode breaks down a new randomized controlled crossover trial from Ohio State University testing high dose soybean oil against palm oil in real people, walking through what happened to inflammatory markers, arachidonic acid, and oxidized LDL. You will also get the broader context of past studies, the study's limitations, and practical takeaways for what actually matters for your heart health. https://dralo.net/links Questions this episode answers:Do seed oils cause inflammation?Is soybean oil bad for you?Does linoleic acid raise arachidonic acid?What does the new seed oil study show?Are vegetable oils bad for heart health?Should I avoid soybean oil? Keywords: seed oils, soybean oil, linoleic acid, inflammation study, arachidonic acid, oxidized ldl, omega 6 fats, heart disease risk, vegetable oil myth, randomized controlled trial, apob, nutrition science This episode is for education only and is not medical advice. Talk to your own clinician about your own situation. #heart #cardiology #drAlo #seedoils #linoleicacid #inflammation #hearthealth #nutritionscience

Your blood pressure reading at the doctor's office might be lying to you, in either direction. Dr. Alo and Hannah break down white coat hypertension and masked hypertension, explaining the biology behind each, who is most at risk, and why one of them is far more dangerous than the other. You'll walk away with a simple seven day home monitoring protocol to find out which one actually applies to you. https://dralo.net/links Questions this episode answers:Why is my blood pressure high at the doctor but normal at home?What is white coat hypertension?What is masked hypertension and is it dangerous?How do I check my blood pressure at home correctly?Do I need medication for white coat hypertension?What is ambulatory blood pressure monitoring? Keywords: white coat hypertension, masked hypertension, home blood pressure monitoring, ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, abpm, high blood pressure diagnosis, blood pressure medication, sustained hypertension, blood pressure at home, office blood pressure reading, hypertension risk, validated blood pressure monitor This episode is for education only and is not medical advice. Talk to your own clinician about your own situation. #heart #cardiology #drAlo #hypertension #bloodpressure #whitecoathypertension #heartdisease

Go beyond YouTube. Join My Heart 2 Heart VIP Inner Circle for weekly live Q&As + a private text line to Dr. Alo: https://dralo.net/community Professor Alo breaks down the guidelines for those looking for a very in-depth guideline breakdown. Everything you need to understand the CAD, CCD, ASCVD treatment guidelines.

Go beyond YouTube. Join My Heart 2 Heart VIP Inner Circle for weekly live Q&As + a private text line to Dr. Alo: https://dralo.net/community Professor Dr. Alo dives deep into the ASCVD Prevention Guidelines. How do we approach and prevent heart disease before it begins?