Beyond Cholesterol
For decades, cholesterol dominated the conversation about heart disease, but research has established that chronic inflammation is a co-equal driver of atherosclerosis. Even people with well-controlled cholesterol can retain significant cardiovascular risk from inflammation — sometimes called residual inflammatory risk — which fuels the process by which plaques form, become unstable, and rupture to cause heart attacks and strokes.
Measuring and Understanding the Risk
High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), a blood marker of inflammation, can identify people whose cardiovascular risk is elevated by inflammation independent of cholesterol. Trials have shown that reducing inflammation can lower cardiovascular events, confirming that inflammation is not just a marker but a genuine contributor. This has opened a second front in cardiovascular prevention alongside the long-standing focus on lipids.
Addressing Inflammatory Risk
Many measures that reduce inflammation overlap with general heart-healthy living: a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, and healthy fats, regular exercise, adequate sleep, not smoking, and managing conditions like obesity and diabetes that drive inflammation. For some high-risk patients, specific anti-inflammatory therapies are emerging. Recognizing inflammation as a target broadens the strategy for preventing heart disease. Facilities can source diagnostic equipment and nutritional products from our catalog.
