Cardiovascular & Metabolic Health
Your heart and metabolism are interconnected systems that determine how well your body creates and uses energy. When these systems are optimized, you experience sustained energy, mental clarity, and resilience against chronic disease.
Advanced Cardiovascular Prevention
Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States, yet much of it is preventable. The challenge is that conventional screening often misses significant risk. Standard cholesterol panels don't tell the whole story—about half of heart attacks occur in people with 'normal' cholesterol.
As a board-certified clinical lipidologist (DABCL), I specialize in identifying cardiovascular risk that standard testing misses. This means measuring not just how much cholesterol you have, but how many atherogenic particles are circulating, how well your metabolism is functioning, and whether early disease is already developing.
My goal isn't just to get your numbers into range—it's to truly understand your risk profile and develop a treatment plan that protects your heart for decades to come. This often means combining advanced testing, lifestyle optimization, targeted supplements, and when appropriate, medications.
Conditions I Treat
Beyond Standard Cholesterol Testing
I use comprehensive cardiovascular testing that goes far beyond the standard lipid panel:
Advanced Lipid Analysis
- • ApoB (apolipoprotein B)
- • LDL particle number & size
- • Lipoprotein(a) - Lp(a)
- • sdLDL (small dense LDL)
- • HDL functionality markers
Metabolic Markers
- • Fasting insulin & HOMA-IR
- • HbA1c & fasting glucose
- • Triglyceride/HDL ratio
- • Uric acid
- • Liver enzymes (fatty liver markers)
Inflammation & Vascular
- • hs-CRP (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein)
- • Homocysteine
- • Fibrinogen
- • Myeloperoxidase (MPO)
- • OxLDL (oxidized LDL)
Imaging
- • Coronary Artery Calcium (CAC) scoring
- • Carotid intima-media thickness
- • Advanced plaque imaging
My Approach
I approach cardiovascular health from multiple angles simultaneously. Cholesterol management alone isn't enough—I also address inflammation, insulin resistance, blood pressure, oxidative stress, and vascular function. This comprehensive approach produces better outcomes than focusing on any single factor.
Treatment typically includes nutrition strategies tailored to your specific lipid patterns (not generic 'low-fat' advice), targeted supplementation (omega-3s, plant sterols, berberine, and others based on your needs), exercise programming, and when appropriate, medications including statins and other lipid-lowering agents.
For patients with statin intolerance, I have extensive experience finding alternative approaches that still effectively reduce cardiovascular risk. Many 'statin-intolerant' patients can actually tolerate certain statins or dosing strategies with proper management.
What to Expect
Comprehensive Evaluation
We'll review your personal and family history, previous testing, current medications, and cardiovascular goals. I want to understand the complete picture.
Advanced Testing
Based on your risk factors, we'll order comprehensive lipid analysis, metabolic markers, and possibly cardiac imaging. I'll explain exactly why each test matters.
Personalized Treatment Plan
We'll review your results together and create a protocol addressing all identified risk factors—lifestyle, supplements, and medications as appropriate.
Monitoring & Optimization
We'll retest in 3-4 months to assess your response, then continue optimizing. Many patients see significant improvements in metabolic markers within 8-12 weeks.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a DABCL certification?
DABCL stands for Diplomate of the American Board of Clinical Lipidology. It's a specialized board certification for healthcare providers who have demonstrated advanced expertise in cholesterol and lipid management. Fewer than 800 physicians nationwide hold this certification. As a DABCL, I have extensive training in advanced lipid testing, interpretation, and treatment—going far beyond what most doctors learn about cholesterol.
Why isn't standard cholesterol testing enough?
Standard cholesterol panels only measure total cholesterol, LDL-C, HDL-C, and triglycerides. But LDL-C (the 'bad cholesterol' number) can be normal while you actually have too many LDL particles—the real driver of cardiovascular risk. Advanced testing measures particle numbers (LDL-P or ApoB), particle sizes, lipoprotein(a), inflammation markers, and metabolic factors that standard panels miss. About 50% of heart attacks occur in people with 'normal' cholesterol.
What is ApoB and why does it matter?
ApoB (apolipoprotein B) is a single number that represents all the atherogenic (artery-clogging) particles in your blood. Many experts now consider it the best single predictor of cardiovascular risk—better than LDL-C. Everyone has one ApoB molecule per atherogenic particle, so this number directly tells us how many particles are potentially causing damage. It's simple, cheap to test, and far more informative than standard LDL.
Do you prescribe statins?
Yes, I prescribe statins when they're appropriate—and often they are the best tool for the job. What I don't do is prescribe them blindly based on outdated risk calculators. I use advanced testing to determine true cardiovascular risk, then discuss all options—including whether lifestyle changes alone might be sufficient, which statin and dose makes sense, and how to minimize side effects. Many of my patients are able to reduce or eliminate medications after addressing root causes.
What's the connection between metabolic health and heart disease?
Insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome are major drivers of cardiovascular disease—often more significant than cholesterol levels alone. When you're insulin resistant, your liver produces more triglycerides, your HDL drops, your LDL particles become smaller and denser (more dangerous), and inflammation increases throughout your body. I address both lipid and metabolic factors together because you can't truly protect your heart without addressing insulin resistance.
How often should I get cardiovascular testing?
For most patients, I recommend comprehensive testing at baseline, then follow-up labs 3-4 months after starting treatment to assess response. Once stable, annual testing is usually sufficient. However, if we're actively optimizing your lipids or you have significant risk factors, we may test more frequently. I also recommend advanced imaging (coronary calcium scoring) for many patients to directly assess plaque burden.
Board-Certified Expertise
Dr. Boomgaarden is one of fewer than 800 physicians nationwide certified by the American Board of Clinical Lipidology.
This advanced certification represents specialized training in cholesterol management, cardiovascular risk assessment, and lipid-lowering therapies beyond standard medical education.
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