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The 60-Year Cholesterol War Is Finally Over

2026-04-16 People & Blogs
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Dr Brad Stanfield
Dr Brad Stanfield
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🩺 Get your personalized health plan: https://drstanfield.com/pages/roadmap πŸ’Š Supplements I Take: https://drstanfield.com/pages/my-supplements πŸ’ŠMicroVitamin+ (Pro) Powder: https://drstanfield.com/products/microvitamin-plus πŸ’ŠMicroVitamin Standard Capsules: https://drstanfield.com/products/microvitamin βœ”οΈ X: https://x.com/BradStanfieldMD βœ”οΈ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/bradstanfieldmd Timestamps: 00:00 The Dallas Heart Study and PCSK9 02:58 The Fourier Trial 03:34 The VESALIUS-CV Trial 08:21 The Case for Lower LDL Targets 08:26 The Ez-PAVE Study 10:13 The PESA Study 11:53 The Underutilization of Ezetimibe 13:22 Conclusion and Future Directions Here are the links to the research papers referenced in the video: 1. doi: 10.1001/jama.2026.3277 https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2847162 VESALIUS-CV Diabetes Subgroup Analysis β€” JAMA 2026 2. doi: 10.1172/JCI84086 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4607136/ JCI Conversation with Helen Hobbs β€” 2015 3. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa054013 https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa054013 Sequence Variations in PCSK9, Low LDL, and Protection against Coronary Heart Disease β€” NEJM 2006 4. doi: 10.3389/fcvm.2021.764038 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8589637/ Regulation of PCSK9 Expression and Function: Mechanisms and Therapeutic Implications β€” Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine 2021 5. doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2012.08.986 https://www.jacc.org/doi/10.1016/j.jacc.2012.08.986 Effects of AMG 145 on Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Levels β€” JACC 2012 6. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1615664 https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1615664 Evolocumab and Clinical Outcomes in Patients with Cardiovascular Disease (FOURIER) β€” NEJM 2017 7. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2514428 https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2514428 Evolocumab in Patients without a Previous Myocardial Infarction or Stroke (VESALIUS-CV) β€” NEJM 2025 8. https://www.acc.org/About-ACC/Press-Releases/2026/03/28/15/33/Evolocumab-Cuts-Cardiac-Risk-in-Patients-Without-Known-Atherosclerosis-and-With-Diabetes Evolocumab Cuts Cardiac Risk in Patients Without Known Atherosclerosis and With Diabetes β€” ACC Press Release, March 2026 9. https://www.peoplespharmacy.com/articles/woman-has-heart-attack-despite-very-low-cholesterol Woman Has Heart Attack Despite Very Low Cholesterol β€” People's Pharmacy 10. doi: 10.1016/j.ahj.2008.08.010 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19081406/ Lipid levels in patients hospitalized with coronary artery disease: an analysis of 136,905 hospitalizations in Get With The Guidelines β€” American Heart Journal 2009 11. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2600283 https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2600283 Ez-PAVE Trial β€” NEJM 2026 12. https://www.tctmd.com/news/very-low-ldl-levels-best-secondary-prevention-ez-pave Very Low LDL Levels Best in Secondary Prevention: Ez-PAVE β€” TCTMD (Cannon + Aspry quotes) 13. doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2017.10.024 https://www.jacc.org/doi/10.1016/j.jacc.2017.10.024 Normal LDL-Cholesterol Levels Are Associated With Subclinical Atherosclerosis in the Absence of Risk Factors (PESA) β€” JACC 2017 14. doi: 10.1177/11772719241257410 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11143858/ Are We Using Ezetimibe As Much As We Should? β€” Therapeutic Advances in Cardiovascular Disease 2024 15. doi: 10.1001/jama.2025.20620 https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2841258 Efficacy and Safety of Oral PCSK9 Inhibitor Enlicitide in Adults With Heterozygous Familial Hypercholesterolemia β€” JAMA 2025 16. https://www.utsouthwestern.edu/newsroom/articles/year-2026/march-cholesterol-guideline-shifts-focus-earlier-prevention.html Updated cholesterol guideline shifts focus to earlier prevention β€” UT Southwestern Newsroom, March 2026 (Rohatgi quote) 17. doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2012.09.017 https://www.jacc.org/doi/10.1016/j.jacc.2012.09.017 Effect of Long-Term Exposure to Lower Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Beginning Early in Life on the Risk of Coronary Heart Disease β€” JACC 2012 Thumbnail by James Kelly Video edited by Troy Young Script by John Milliken The links above are affiliate links, so I receive a small commission every time you use them to purchase a product. The content contained in this video, and its accompanying description, is not intended to replace viewers’ relationships with their own medical practitioner. Always speak with your doctor regarding the content of this channel, and especially before using any products, services, or devices discussed on this channel.

Top Comments (10)

@DrBradStanfield 2026-04-16

🩺 Get your personalized health plan: https://drstanfield.com/pages/roadmap

5 6 replies
@Corkfish1 2026-04-16

A 2024 study indicated that ezetimibe, a common cholesterol medication, may be associated with a sevenfold lower risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and related dementias

188 77 replies
@drillbabydrill892 2026-04-16

3:14 Yes a 20% relative risk reduction, but only a 1.5% absolute risk reduction. Might be useful to mention that.

306 47 replies
@gregt5794 2026-04-20

Every few years the guidelines for cholesterol levels are lowered. Extremely low ldl cholesterol (<50 mg/dL) as per Harvard Health and the Mayo Clinic state that the risks of the following health issues are increased: 1. Hemorrhagic stroke 2. Depression 3. Anxiety 4. Cancer 5. Cognitive impairment 6. Neurodegenerative diseases 7. Immune System Disorders 8. Nutritional deficiencies and absorption issues 9. Anemia 10. Adrenal failure 11. Aortic dissection 12. Diabetes type II We cannot allow cardiology to take preference over all other medical fields to our detriment. Before medications for cholesterol lowering were available CVD was the leading cause of death. From the late 1950s medication to lower cholesterol became available and from 1987 statins became available and since then new and stronger statins have been introduced and the dosages increased in order to comply with the new guidance every few years - and what is the leading cause of death today, STILL CVD. Something does not add up and you don’t need to be a doctor or a researcher to see that.

91 21 replies
@Overthere_World 2026-04-17

More and more experiments are yielding completely different conclusions, making people increasingly confused.

66 5 replies
@tarlkudrick1174 2026-04-16

Oh, this war isn't over, Doctor. Medicine, like every other field, really only advances one funeral at a time.

63
@kapurar 2026-04-16

Great information that is fantastically presented! Really appreciate your channel and the information you share. Cheers! πŸ‡¨πŸ‡¦

2
@olyav5819 2026-04-16

Thanks for the update!

3
@alwayslearning8365 2026-04-16

Thank you this was great information. You're doing a great job as always. πŸ‘πŸ‘πŸ‘

1
@AliceR27 2026-04-16

I know Brad already knows, what else is at play? If only LDL level was the one and only answer. But it isn't.

15 7 replies

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