From the SWLA President: Taking a Closer Look for Greater Care Outcomes

I am honored as the Southwest Lipid Association President, in collaboration with the President of the Pacific Lipid Association, to bring you the first LipidSpin edition of 2024. I enthusiastically share these articles with the membership of the NLA, knowing the significant impact we as Lipid Specialists collectively make to enhance preventive cardiometabolic care. This importance is underscored by the fact that cardiovascular disease remains the number one killer of our fellow Americans.

The NLA recognizes the evolving landscape of lipid research and patient care. The field of lipidology continues to expand as scientific research uncovers new insights into the intricate relationship between lipids and cardiovascular disease and concurrently, develops new therapeutic tools to optimize cardiovascular health. We, as members of the National Lipid Association, have been pivotal in disseminating this knowledge to providers of health care and ensuring that it translates into improved patient outcomes. LipidSpin is a powerful tool to connect and engage professionals from diverse backgrounds, and remains a strong platform for scientific discourse, networking, and mentorship. One of our primary objectives as an association is to foster collaboration and knowledge sharing among our members. By staying abreast of the most current evidence we ensure that our patients receive the best possible care, tailored to their unique lipid profile and cardiovascular risk factors.

In our mission to expand our educational offerings and professional development opportunities, it is important to steer our focus to the needs of specific populations who may be in a relative minority and are often not discussed extensively in conferences, or in the literature. Because of their unique circumstances, these individuals may require a specific knowledge and therapeutic approach.

If we fly at the 20,000-foot level, we may see people homogeneously from a broad perspective, but when we draw closer, we see these people are men, women, children, Whites, Blacks, Hispanics, Asians and more. Specific populations have specific needs. The content of this LipidSpin is intended to focus our attention on these unique groups, and understand their specific needs more clearly. 

I thank our wonderful contributors from both SWLA and PLA, and our outstanding publications staff, for helping us put together a powerful edition of LipidSpin. I am grateful to have served this great organization amongst friends and colleagues and look forward to a fruitful 2024.