The book and the handbook
This handbook is a separate, standalone reference volume — an appendix, not a replacement for the book’s 19 main chapters. Its 52 chapters work through the biology of lipoproteins, the mechanics of atherosclerosis, the tools used to diagnose and treat it, and the cardiometabolic physiology that connects these subjects.
MetabolicRisk.com presents that handbook as a searchable reading resource. The chapter text, glossary, and reference tables come from the author’s manuscript.
How to use this website
Start with the foundations and read in sequence, or use the chapter directory to explore a specific subject. Full-text search includes the chapters, glossary, key concepts, and reference tables. Each chapter has its own link, section navigation, and print view.
The handbook complements the main book. It provides a reference to return to when a mechanism, measurement, or treatment deserves a closer look.
Medical disclaimer
The supplied manuscript labels this disclaimer as a draft pending legal review.
This book is intended for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the guidance of your physician or another qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment, and before making changes to any diet, medication, exercise program, or supplement regimen. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of something you have read in this book.
Reading this book does not create a physician-patient relationship between the author and the reader.
If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 (or your local emergency number) immediately.
This handbook reflects the clinical perspective and professional judgment of its author, developed over more than thirty years of clinical practice. In places, the positions taken depart from current mainstream guidelines; where this occurs, it is stated explicitly, along with the reasoning and evidence behind it, so that readers and clinicians can evaluate it for themselves.
Medication names, dosing, and treatment approaches discussed in this book are general and illustrative rather than individualized recommendations. Decisions about starting, stopping, or changing any medication or treatment should be made in consultation with your own physician.
Clinical trial data, statistics, and other research findings cited in this book are presented as accurately as possible as of the date of writing. Medical evidence evolves, and more recent research may supersede findings described here.
Copyright
Copyright © 2026 by Luis F. Aparicio, MD, FACE. All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.
Begin with chapter 1