MyCardioAdvocate™

Visit-Ready Tools to Help You Advocate for Better Cardiometabolic Care

Many cardiovascular risks go unrecognized — not because clinicians don’t care, but because modern healthcare is fragmented, rushed, and complex. Important context gets missed. Questions go unasked. Patients leave visits unsure of next steps.

MyCardioAdvocate™ briefs are designed to change that.

Each brief is a printable, visit-ready checklist that highlights common blind spots, helps clarify what to ask, and supports shared decision-making — grounded in clinical evidence and real-world practice.

How to Use
1 Choose a topic that applies to you
2 Download the PDF
3 Bring it to your appointment
4 Use it to guide the discussion
5 Keep it for future visits or share with caregivers

You may also find these tools helpful when preparing for specialist visits, hospital follow-ups, or transitions of care.

KNOW YOUR RISK (8 briefs)
BRIEF 9
Lipid Guidelines
Follow the Leader
When "following the guidelines" might not be enough — and why multiple guidelines, risk calculators, and expert opinion matter.
Covers:
  • ACC/AHA vs. ESC vs. NLA vs. AACE guidelines
  • Risk calculator blind spots (CKD, Lp(a), ethnicity)
  • Why "fire and forget" is not lipid management
NEW Download Brief
BRIEF 2
ApoB
The Better Cholesterol Marker
Why ApoB may be a more accurate measure of your atherogenic risk than LDL-C alone — especially when triglycerides are elevated.
Covers:
  • ApoB vs. LDL-C vs. non-HDL-C
  • When LDL-C underestimates your risk
  • Guideline recommendations and target levels
Download Brief
BRIEF 3
Lipoprotein(a)
Little Napoleon Complex
The genetically inherited risk factor that affects 1 in 5 people — and that most clinicians never check.
Covers:
  • What Lp(a) is and why it matters
  • Screening recommendations (check once in a lifetime)
  • Emerging therapies and risk reclassification
Download Brief
BRIEF 7
Coronary Artery Calcium (CAC)
A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words
How a simple CT scan can reveal hidden heart disease — and change the conversation about your treatment.
Covers:
  • What a CAC score means and who should get one
  • How CAC reclassifies risk beyond standard calculators
  • When CAC > 300 puts you in the highest risk category
Download Brief
BRIEF 1
Inflammation & CRP
The Itch That Rashes
Why chronic inflammation may be the hidden driver of your cardiovascular risk — and what to do about it.
Covers:
  • High-sensitivity CRP and residual inflammatory risk
  • When to test and what the numbers mean
  • Lifestyle and pharmacologic strategies
Download Brief
BRIEF 30
Risk Calculators
There's an App for That
The tools your doctor uses to assess your risk — and the dangerous blind spots that cause them to miss nearly 75% of young heart attack patients.
Covers:
  • Pooled Cohort Equations (PCE) limitations
  • Missing biomarkers: ApoB, Lp(a), CAC, family history
  • Why a "low risk" score should start a conversation, not end one
NEW Download Brief
BRIEF 4
Atherogenic Triad
The Dangerous Lipid Phenotype
High triglycerides, low HDL, and elevated ApoB — the lipid pattern that hides behind a "normal" LDL-C.
Covers:
  • The triad: high TG, low HDL, elevated small dense LDL
  • Connection to insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome
  • Why LDL-C alone can be misleading
Download Brief
BRIEF 27
HDL Cholesterol
Too Much of a Good Thing
When "good cholesterol" isn't good enough — and why raising HDL-C with drugs has consistently failed to reduce heart attacks.
Covers:
  • HDL-C is a concentration, not a measure of function
  • Why very high HDL-C (>80 mg/dL) may increase risk
  • ApoB is a better marker of risk than HDL-C
NEW Download Brief
CHOLESTEROL & LIPID THERAPY (5 briefs)
BRIEF 8
Statins & Cardiovascular Risk
Apocalypse or Pleiotropic Nirvana?
Separating fact from fiction on the most polarized medication in medicine — and why "statin intolerant" should never be a dead end.
Covers:
  • The nocebo effect and true vs. perceived intolerance
  • Safety myths debunked (liver, dementia, diabetes)
  • Alternative therapies when statins truly aren't tolerated
NEW Download Brief
BRIEF 10
Familial Hypercholesterolemia (FH)
Hiding in Plain Sight
The most common deadly genetic condition you've probably never heard of — affecting 1 in 250 people worldwide.
Covers:
  • Signs, symptoms, and screening criteria
  • Genetic testing and cascade screening
  • Aggressive treatment strategies
Download Brief
BRIEF 11
Lean Mass Hyper-Responder (LMHR)
The Straw That Breaks the Camel's Back
When a low-carb diet causes extreme LDL-C elevation in lean individuals — and what it means for your heart.
Covers:
  • The LMHR phenotype and lipid energy model
  • Cardiovascular risk implications
  • When to intervene and how
Download Brief
BRIEF 28
Fish Oil & Omega-3s
Something Smells Fishy
Separating the science from the supplements — and why prescription EPA is not the same as what's on the shelf.
Covers:
  • REDUCE-IT (icosapent ethyl) vs. STRENGTH (EPA+DHA)
  • OTC supplements are not proven to reduce CV events
  • Effective dose: 4g/day pure EPA, not 500mg mixed omega-3
NEW Download Brief
BRIEF 12
Supplements & Cardiovascular Risk
The Wild, Wild West
Americans spend over $30 billion a year on supplements — most assuming they're regulated, tested, and safe. None of those assumptions are reliably true. When patients bring their supplement lists to the clinic, they place their clinician in one of the most uncomfortable positions in modern medicine.
Covers:
  • Why supplements are regulated as foods, not drugs — and what that means for you
  • Hidden prescription drugs found in hundreds of supplements (JAMA Network Open data)
  • Nattokinase, red yeast rice, vitamin K2, fish oil — what the evidence actually shows
  • Why your clinician can't safely advise on products with no safety data
  • The critical difference between store-bought fish oil and prescription icosapent ethyl
UPDATED Download Brief
METABOLIC & ORGAN HEALTH (6 briefs)
BRIEF 13
Metabolic Syndrome
The Cluster That Connects Everything
The constellation of risk factors — abdominal obesity, high TG, low HDL, hypertension, and elevated glucose — that predicts cardiovascular catastrophe.
Covers:
  • Diagnostic criteria (3 of 5 components)
  • Why metabolic syndrome is more than the sum of its parts
  • Treatment strategies targeting root causes
Download Brief
BRIEF 16
Type 2 Diabetes & Cardiovascular Risk
The Sweet Spot
When hitting the A1C target means missing the bigger picture — and how newer therapies protect the heart independent of glucose lowering.
Covers:
  • Why how you lower glucose matters more than the number
  • SGLT2 inhibitors and GLP-1 agonists as cardioprotective therapies
  • The atherogenic dyslipidemia hidden in diabetes
NEW Download Brief
BRIEF 14
Visceral Adiposopathy
"Sick Fat" and Cardiometabolic Risk
Why where your fat is — and how it behaves — matters more than the number on the scale.
Covers:
  • Visceral vs. subcutaneous fat
  • Adiposopathy and systemic inflammation
  • Waist circumference and body composition metrics
Download Brief
BRIEF 15
MASH & Fatty Liver Disease
Barking Up the Wrong Tree
When mildly elevated liver enzymes get blamed on statins — but the real culprit is metabolic disease.
Covers:
  • The statin paradox — why stopping your statin is almost never the answer
  • NAFLD → MASLD → MASH terminology
  • The #1 killer of fatty liver patients is cardiovascular disease
Download Brief
BRIEF 17
CKD & Cardiovascular Risk
Don't Forget Your Beans
When your kidneys are sending a distress signal that nobody is reading — and the #1 killer of CKD patients is heart disease.
Covers:
  • KDIGO heat map and risk stratification
  • SGLT2 inhibitors and finerenone for dual kidney-heart protection
  • The cardiorenal-metabolic syndrome
NEW Download Brief
BRIEF 18
OSA & Cardiovascular Risk
The Day Dreamer
When the most dangerous thing you do all day happens while you sleep — and 80% of cases are undiagnosed.
Covers:
  • OSA as the #1 cause of resistant hypertension
  • CPAP compliance and alternatives
  • Connections to heart failure, AFib, CKD, and sudden death
NEW Download Brief
HEART & VASCULAR CONDITIONS (5 briefs)
BRIEF 5
After a Heart Attack
Residual Risk — The Repeat Offender
You survived a heart attack. Now what? Understanding the residual risk that persists even after standard treatment.
Covers:
  • Why recurrent events happen despite statin therapy
  • Inflammatory, thrombotic, and metabolic residual risk
  • Advanced therapies for secondary prevention
Download Brief
BRIEF 35
Peripheral Artery Disease
Canary in the Coal Mine
PAD affects 10-12 million Americans, yet the majority go undiagnosed. When atherosclerosis narrows the leg arteries, it's not a "leg problem" — it's a warning that the same disease is in your coronary and carotid arteries too.
Covers:
  • Why PAD means confirmed systemic atherosclerosis — not just a leg issue
  • The ankle-brachial index (ABI) and what your numbers mean
  • Why most PAD patients never get referred to cardiology
  • Medications you should be on (and why cilostazol alone is not enough)
NEW Download Brief
BRIEF 25
Stroke & Cardiovascular Risk
Brain Attack
Stroke is a cardiovascular disease — and prevention starts with the same cardiometabolic risk factors that drive heart disease.
Covers:
  • Stroke risk factors and prevention strategies
  • AFib as a leading cause of embolic stroke
  • Carotid disease, hypertension, and lipid management
Download Brief
BRIEF 33
Aortic Stenosis & Lp(a)
Not Just Wear and Tear
The most common valve disease in the developed world is not "degenerative" — it's lipid-driven. By the time symptoms appear, the window for prevention has closed by decades.
Covers:
  • Lp(a) and LDL-C as causal drivers of aortic valve calcification
  • 2026 GWAS evidence: shared genetic loci with atherosclerosis
  • TAVR vs. SAVR, the EARLY TAVR revolution, and why screening matters
NEW Download Brief
BRIEF 34
Incidental Coronary Calcium
The Incidentaloma
When a CT scan done for something else reveals coronary artery calcification — and nobody tells you. Atherosclerosis hiding in plain sight in your medical record.
Covers:
  • How incidental CAC on non-cardiac CT scans gets buried in reports
  • Why "mild coronary calcification" in the body of a report is never mild
  • What to ask if you've ever had a chest CT, mammogram, or other imaging
NEW Download Brief
HEART FAILURE & RHYTHM (3 briefs)
BRIEF 19
HFpEF — Heart Failure with Preserved EF
The Enigma
When your doctor says "your heart is pumping fine" — but you can't catch your breath. We finally have weapons to fight it.
Covers:
  • SGLT2 inhibitors (FDA-approved), GLP-1 agonists, finerenone
  • Why a "normal" EF does not mean a normal heart
  • The obesity-HFpEF connection (STEP-HFpEF, SUMMIT trials)
NEW Download Brief
BRIEF 20
HFrEF — Heart Failure with Reduced EF
Too Little, Too Late
When we have four proven life-saving therapies — but only 0.8% of patients are on all four at target doses.
Covers:
  • The four pillars of GDMT (beta-blocker, ARNI, MRA, SGLT2i)
  • HFrEF is often reversible with optimal therapy
  • Why furosemide is NOT guideline-directed medical therapy
NEW Download Brief
BRIEF 21
Atrial Fibrillation & Cardiometabolic Risk
Drinking Buddies
When the heart's rhythm hides — and its cardiometabolic companions go unaddressed.
Covers:
  • OSA, obesity, and alcohol as AFib drivers
  • Stroke risk and anticoagulation (not aspirin)
  • Weight loss (LEGACY trial) and fitness (CARDIO-FIT)
Download Brief
SPECIAL POPULATIONS & LIFESTYLE (9 briefs)
BRIEF 29
Hypertension
Under Pressure
Blood pressure is a biomarker. Hypertension is a disease. Getting the distinction wrong — in either direction — harms patients.
Covers:
  • White coat vs. masked hypertension
  • Why home BP monitoring is more accurate than office readings
  • Secondary causes, measurement errors, and drug pitfalls
NEW Download Brief
BRIEF 22
Older Adults & CV Risk
Age Is Just a Number
Why aging is not a reason to under-treat cardiovascular risk — and when it changes the conversation.
Covers:
  • Treatment thresholds and goals in older adults
  • Statin therapy after age 75
  • Balancing risk reduction with quality of life
Download Brief
BRIEF 23
Precious Cargo
Pregnancy & Cardiovascular Risk
Cardiovascular considerations during pregnancy — and the long-term implications for maternal heart health.
Covers:
  • Preeclampsia and gestational hypertension as CV risk enhancers
  • Lipid management during and after pregnancy
  • Long-term cardiovascular monitoring for mothers
Download Brief
BRIEF 24
Wear Red for Women
Heart Disease in Women
Heart disease is the #1 killer of women — yet women remain undertreated, underdiagnosed, and underrepresented in clinical trials.
Covers:
  • Sex-specific cardiovascular risk factors
  • Atypical presentation of heart disease in women
  • Why women need more aggressive prevention
Download Brief
BRIEF 6
Diet, Eggs & Cholesterol
Eggselent or Rotten?
The evolving truth about dietary cholesterol, eggs, and what actually matters for your heart.
Covers:
  • Dietary cholesterol vs. blood cholesterol
  • Evidence on egg consumption and CV risk
  • What to focus on in your diet
Download Brief
BRIEF 26
Caffeine, Coffee & Energy Drinks
A Cup of Joe Never Hurt Anyone
When the molecule is the same — but the vehicle makes all the difference. Coffee is safe. Energy drinks may not be.
Covers:
  • DECAF trial — coffee does NOT worsen atrial fibrillation
  • Energy drink QTc prolongation and ER visit data
  • Hidden caffeine in supplements and CYP1A2 genetics
NEW Download Brief
BRIEF 31
The Adult Athlete
Killer Workouts
When fitness alone isn't enough — and the "healthy athlete bias" causes some of the fittest people to get the least cardiovascular screening.
Covers:
  • The healthy athlete bias and underscreening
  • Congenital conditions and sudden cardiac death risk
  • Why you can't outrun your genetics
NEW Download Brief
BRIEF 32
Gene Editing & CV Medicine
Rewriting the Code
CRISPR, siRNA, and gene silencing technologies are advancing from lab science to clinical trials — and could transform cardiovascular medicine forever.
Covers:
  • VERVE-102 (CRISPR) and inclisiran (siRNA) — what's real now
  • Lp(a)-lowering gene therapies in Phase 3 trials
  • Access, equity, and the fundamentals that still matter today
NEW Download Brief
BRIEF 36
Bias in Medicine
Bias Is Everywhere
Industry bias gets all the headlines — but academic bias, government cost-driven bias, and evidence hierarchy bias can be just as harmful. When bias goes unacknowledged, patients pay the price with suboptimal care, delayed therapies, and decisions driven by budgets instead of evidence.
Covers:
  • Why "No Disclosures" isn't always what it seems — and how institutional bias hides in plain sight
  • Government cost-driven bias: when your treatment targets are set by budgets, not science
  • Evidence hierarchy bias: why an observational study and a randomized trial don't carry equal weight
  • Questions to ask: "Are stricter guidelines (e.g., Indian Lipid Association) more appropriate for my ethnicity?"
  • Questions to ask: "Are you not discussing a branded therapy because of my perceived ability to pay — or because of system cost constraints?"
NEW Download Brief

MyCardioAdvocate™ — Advocacy Starts with Knowledge

Download your briefs. Print them. Bring them to your visit. Your voice matters.

These materials are provided for educational purposes only. They do not constitute medical advice and do not establish a physician-patient relationship. Always consult your healthcare provider regarding medical decisions.