This podcast episode delves into the multifaceted nature of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk factors and their collective influence on cardiovascular health. The speakers discuss various factors, including apolipoprotein B (apoB), lipoprotein(a) (LpLA), and insulin, and how they impact ASCVD risk. They introduce the concept of balancing risk factors, where factors that increase risk act as accelerators and those that mitigate it act as brakes. The analogy highlights the importance of understanding how these factors interact to determine overall ASCVD risk.