Preventive Cardiology: Cholesterol, Fitness, Risk Factors & Heart Health

Evidence-based guides and calculators for understanding cardiovascular risk, cholesterol, fitness, Life’s Essential 8, and the factors that shape long-term heart health.

Cholesterol & Lipids

Cholesterol Blood Tests: LDL-C vs ApoB vs Lp(a) vs hs-CRP →

Start with a guide to what each measurement tells you.

LDL Cholesterol →

What the number means and how LDL is lowered.

ApoB Test →

Understand particle number and its relationship to LDL cholesterol.

Lipoprotein(a) →

Explore this inherited lipid measurement.

LDL Reduction Calculator →

Model statin doses and selected combination therapies.

All cholesterol & lipids resources →

Fitness & VO2 Max

VO2 Max Calculator and Age Chart →

Estimate and interpret cardiorespiratory fitness.

VO2 Max Field Tests →

Compare Cooper, Rockport, running, and shuttle-test protocols.

How to Improve VO2 Max →

Explore the existing eight-week training guide.

Wearable VO2 Max Accuracy →

Understand what watch estimates can and cannot tell you.

All fitness & vo2 max resources →

Cardiovascular Health

Life’s Essential 8 Calculator →

Explore eight areas of cardiovascular health.

Vital8 Framework →

The broader MendelMD framework for cardiovascular health.

Nutrition →Blood Sugar →Tobacco and Nicotine →Blood Pressure, Sleep, and Weight →

Explore these domains in the LE8 scoring reference; dedicated guides are not yet published.

All cardiovascular health resources →

Vital8 remains our broader cardiovascular health framework. Explore Vital8 or browse all preventive cardiology guides.