Episode Details
Back to Episodes
BITESIZE: New Study: Why Did This Drug Lower Cholesterol But Not Heart Plaque?
Description
Lower triglycerides, lower remnant cholesterol, lower ApoB. Zero change in coronary artery plaque. A new clinical trial is forcing a bigger conversation about how we treat cardiovascular disease.
The drug was Olezarsen, an APOC3 inhibitor. The blood work looked impressive. The heart scans did not. So why would lowering well-established cardiovascular risk factors fail to move the needle on plaque? Dr. Bret Scher argues there's a critical difference between what we want to fix and how we go about fixing it. Lowering a number with a drug is not the same as addressing the underlying metabolic dysfunction that caused that number to be high in the first place.
In this video, you'll learn:
- What the Olezarsen trial actually showed and why the results matter
- Why elevated triglycerides often signal deeper metabolic dysfunction and insulin resistance
- How this same drug-first thinking plays out in type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and weight management
- Why narrowing our focus to "fix the number" can keep us from healing the whole system
- How metabolic medicine reframes the conversation around root causes
This isn't an argument against medication. Responsible drug use has an important place in patient care. But the best outcomes come when we ask why a number is abnormal in the first place and what combination of lifestyle changes and targeted treatments will actually address it.
👉 Want to stay up to date with the latest research on metabolic health and metabolic psychiatry? Sign up for our newsletter to stay informed:
metabolicmind.org/about-us/newsletter/
🔎 Have questions about how to apply metabolic therapies effectively? Submit them at metabolicmind.org/questions to be featured in a future Metabolic Mailbag episode.
#MetabolicMind #KetogenicTherapy #CardiovascularDisease
Expert Featured:
Dr. Bret Scher
- Baszucki Group Medical Director
- https://x.com/bschermd
Resources Mentioned:
Effect of APOC3 Inhibition With Olezarsen on Coronary Atherosclerosis: Essence-TIMI 73b Imaging Study
Free CME Clinician Trainings:
Are you a clinician who would like to learn more about the science behind these therapies and how to implement them in practice? Earn CME with our growing library of courses from some of the top experts in the field including Dr. Chris Palmer, Dr. Georgia Ede, Dr. Matthew Bernstein, Dr. Mariela Glandt, Dr. Deanna Kelly, Dr. Julie Milder, Dr. Zoltan Sarnyai, and Dr. Bret Scher with more coming soon.
Our courses have been made FREE by grants from Baszucki Group, so we can spread these powerful therapies as widely as possible. Earn CME/CNE credits: https://www.metabolicmind.org/for-clinicians/trainings-courses/?utm_medium=organic-social&utm_source=youtube&utm_campaign=cme-yt
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 u