Carol Kirkpatrick, PhD, MPH, RDN, CLS, FNLA, is a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) and clinical lipid specialist. Dr. Kirkpatrick is the director of the Idaho State University (ISU) Wellness Center and a clinical associate professor in the Kasiska Division of Health Sciences (KDHS) at ISU. Dr. Kirkpatrick teaches the course, “Evidence-based Lipid Practice,” to KDHS students to promote an interdisciplinary approach to evidence-based lipid management.
As a member of the National Lipid Association (NLA), Dr. Kirkpatrick has been involved in the NLA Nutrition Task Force and contributed to many NLA projects. Most recently, she served as lead author of the NLA scientific statement, “Review of Current Evidence and Clinical Recommendations on the Effects of Low-Carbohydrate and Very-Low-Carbohydrate (including Ketogenic) Diets for the Management of Body Weight and other Cardiometabolic Risk Factors – A Scientific Statement from the National Lipid Association,” to provide guidance to clinicians on the effect of these diets on weight reduction, lipids and cardiovascular disease risk. Dr. Kirkpatrick is the lead co-chair of the Clinician’s Lifestyle Modification Toolbox (CLMT), a project created and developed by the NLA Nutrition Task Force in conjunction with the NLA Practice Management Council that includes patient education material based on the NLA Recommendations for Patient-Centered Management of Dyslipidemia—Part 2, which were published in December 2015. Dr. Kirkpatrick was a member of the NLA Expert Panel for the Lifestyle Therapies—Nutrition section of the NLA Recommendations for Patient-Centered Management of Dyslipidemia—Part 2.
Dr. Kirkpatrick was the coordinator of the Cardiovascular Risk Management Clinic (CRMC) at Pocatello Cardiology from 2007 – 2013. She coordinated the development of protocols for the CRMC to implement evidence-based pharmacological therapy and lifestyle/behavior change education. Dr. Kirkpatrick collaborated with cardiologists and advanced practice nurses during patient office visits to implement treatment plans for risk factor management in primary and secondary prevention patients, including patient education related to nutrition and lifestyle changes.
