- With Mayo Clinic cardiologist
Thomas Behrenbeck, M.D., Ph.D.
read biographyclose windowBiography of
Thomas Behrenbeck, M.D., Ph.D.
Thomas Behrenbeck, M.D.
Dr. Thomas Behrenbeck is a native of Germany, where he received his medical education at the Westfalian Wilhelm University in Munster and became board certified in internal medicine and cardiology.
He also received a Ph.D. in biophysics and physiology at the University of Minnesota. Dr. Behrenbeck joined the Mayo Clinic staff in 1990 and is currently an associate professor at Mayo Medical School and an academic faculty member at the Westfalian Wilhelm University. He is the past chair of the Cardiovascular Medicine & Surgery NetWork of the American College of Chest Physicians.
Dr. Behrenbeck is a noninvasive cardiologist, specializing in cardiovascular (CV) imaging modalities (echocardiography, nuclear cardiology and CT), coronary artery disease and prevention of coronary artery disease. His research interests are the application of imaging technology to early recognition and treatment of atherosclerosis. He is passionate about patients' involvement in their health issues.
"The Internet and patient education present ideal synergies in the ever-growing field of knowledge in cardiology," he says.
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Tests and diagnosis (3)
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Lifestyle and home remedies (4)
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Alternative medicine (2)
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Prevention (2)
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Question
VLDL cholesterol: Is it harmful?
What is VLDL cholesterol? Can it be harmful?
Answer
from Thomas Behrenbeck, M.D., Ph.D.
Very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) cholesterol is a type of lipoprotein. Although you may hear about VLDL, your VLDL level usually isn't reported to you as a part of a routine cholesterol test.
There are several types of cholesterol, each made up of lipoproteins and fats. Each type of lipoprotein contains a mixture of cholesterol, protein and a type of fat (triglyceride), but in varying amounts.
Of the lipoprotein types, VLDL contains the highest amount of triglyceride. Because it contains a high level of triglyceride, having a high VLDL level means you may have an increased risk of coronary artery disease, which can lead to a heart attack or stroke.
There's no simple, direct way to measure VLDL cholesterol, which is why it's normally not mentioned during a routine cholesterol screening. VLDL cholesterol is usually estimated as a percentage of your triglyceride value. A normal VLDL cholesterol level is between 5 and 40 milligrams per deciliter.
Next questionArcus senilis: A sign of high cholesterol?
- VLDL. Lab tests online. http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/vldl/glance.html. Accessed March 2, 2010.
- Ren J, et al. Long term coronary heart disease risk associated with very-low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in Chinese: The result of a 15-year Chinese multi-provincial cohort study (CMCS). Atherosclerosis. In press. Accessed March 2, 2010.
- Adult treatment panel III executive summary. National Cholesterol Education Program. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/cholesterol/atp3xsum.pdf. Accessed March 2, 2010.
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