In this episode of Sisterhood of S.W.E.A.T., Linda Mitchell sits down with Dr. John Osborne, board-certified cardiologist, lipidologist, and founder of Clear Cardio, to challenge conventional thinking around cholesterol and heart disease.
Dr. Osborne explains why LDL cholesterol alone is not a reliable standalone marker for cardiovascular disease and why focusing only on traditional lab numbers can create a false sense of security. He shares how plaque can quietly develop for decades before symptoms appear — and why the first symptom for many people is a heart attack or sudden cardiac event.
The conversation explores the evolution of cardiac imaging, the role of ApoB and lipoprotein(a) in risk assessment, and how advanced cardiac CT combined with artificial intelligence now allows physicians to detect, measure, and track plaque in ways that were previously impossible.
This episode reframes heart disease as something that can be identified early — and potentially prevented — when the right tools are used.
What We Talk About in This Episode
Why LDL cholesterol alone does not tell the full story
The difference between risk factors and actual disease
How ApoB improves cardiovascular risk assessment
Why lipoprotein(a) is genetic and should be tested at least once
The limits of traditional stress testing
How plaque forms in the arterial wall decades before symptoms
Calcium scoring versus full cardiac CT imaging
How AI is transforming plaque detection and measurement
Whether arterial plaque can be slowed or reversed
The real role of statins and other cholesterol-lowering tools
Why you cannot out-train genetics
The one scan adults over 40 should consider
Quotes from This Episode
Cholesterol floating in your bloodstream does not tell me if it is sticking.
Risk is not disease. The first question should be: do you have plaque?
Half of men and two-thirds of women, their first symptom of heart disease is a heart attack or death.
The problem is not that we cannot treat plaque. The problem is that we are not looking for it early enough.
Early detection for heart disease should be as routine as screening for cancer.
Connect with Dr. John Osborne
Clear Cardio
https://clearcardio.com
Clear Cardio – Powers of Prevention YouTube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/@ClearCardio
Learn more about Cardiac CT and AI plaque analysis
https://clearcardio.com/services/
Contact and Locations (Texas, Chicago, expanding to New York)
https://clearcardio.com/contact/
