Myths about Calcium CT Scans and the Role of Soft Plaques in Heart Attacks and Strokes

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LDL does not increase your risk for heart disease if you have a zero coronary artery calcium score. Calcium CT scanner cannot see soft plaques which are the main cause of heart attacks and strokes. Calcified plaques generally do not rupture, whereas soft plaques do. Calcium in the arterial wall does not always encroach on the lumen. A high calcium score does not necessarily mean the artery is blocked, and a low calcium score does not guarantee protection from heart attack. The duration of a study on coronary vascular disease was not sufficient to draw valid conclusions. The process of coronary vascular disease takes 30 to 40 years.

In Episode #244, cardiologist Dr Mohammed Alo joins me to talk about cardiovascular disease myths, many of which he has been brilliantly covering on Tik Tok over the past year.

Is it perfectly ok to eat a lot of saturated fat and red meat if your triglycerides and HDL are normal? Does a coronary artery scan of zero mean we won’t have a heart attack? What’s better - a coronary artery scan or a CT angiogram for measuring plaque in our coronary arteries. Are statins beneficial? Is too low cholesterol a problem? Does this affect brain health and hormone production? Eggs, fish and fish oil, cooking oils - the list goes on.

Specifically, we discuss:

Intro (00:00)
Fighting Misinformation on Cardiovascular Disease and Nutrition (03:49)
TikTok and Cardiology: Reaching Diverse Audiences and Navigating Challenges (18:30)
The Risks of the Carnivore Diet and False Claims on LDL Cholesterol (26:50)
Atherosclerosis, Familial Hypercholesterolemia, and Treatment Options (36:30)
The Importance of Non-HDL Cholesterol as a Predictor of CVD (43:41)
Optimizing LDL Cholesterol Levels and Avoiding Unnecessary Medications (49:39)
Assessing Cardiovascular Risk in Prediabetes (55:21)
Cardiac Imaging and Detecting Heart Attack and Stroke Risk (57:24)
Artery Calcification in Endurance Athletes: Understanding Imaging Tests (1:08:48)
Debunking Myths on Coconut Oil and Fish Oil (1:20:02)
Oils of choice and Dr. Alo's stand on canola oil (1:30:00)
Eggs and Cholesterol: How much is too much? (1:32:40)
Can Unprocessed Red Meat Raise Your Risk of Cardiovascular Disease? (1:36:39)
Grass-Fed vs. Grain-Fed Beef: Examining the Debate (1:46:39)
Salt, Salt Substitutes, and Hypertension (1:57:25)
Outro (2:00:04)

We covered a lot.

To explore more of Dr Mohammed Alo’s work, check out his website or connect with him on YouTube and TikTok.

Discover more insights and supporting studies in the full show notes.

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Enjoy, friends.

Simon

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Simon Hill, MSc, BSc (Hons)

Creator of theproof.com and host of The Proof with Simon Hill

Author of The Proof is in the Plants

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