Cardiovascular disease is still the number one killer of both men and women in the United States. Are you at risk?
There are many myths about the risks for cardiovascular disease. One of those myths is that one must have high cholesterol to be at risk. In actuality, approximately 50% of individuals who experience a heart attack or stroke have “normal” cholesterol levels.
While it is important to know your cholesterol level, routine cholesterol tests are not enough to identify those at risk for cardiovascular events. A stress test is also not a good screening test. One can “pass” a stress test and still have plaque (atherosclerosis) in the arteries. What we now know is that adverse cardiac events such as heart attacks and strokes are caused by vulnerable plaque rupture related to inflammation. At Destination Health™, we utilize an evidenced-based heart attack and stroke program referred to as the Bale/Doneen method to go beyond simple risk factor assessment. Using state-of-the art imaging technology and advanced laboratory analysis, we look to see if the patient has plaque (atherosclerosis), and inflammation. This information helps determine a person’s true heart age. If inflammation is found, we search for the root cause(s) for it and treat accordingly. The root causes are referred to as “red flags”. If you have any of the following “red flags”, you are at risk for cardiovascular disease and owe it to yourself to be evaluated. Some of the more commonly known risk factors include high blood pressure, smoking, and diabetes. However, other “red flags” include rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, psoriasis, sleep apnea, hypothyroidism, pre-eclampsia, polycystic ovarian syndrome, restless leg syndrome, family history and many others. If you have a family history of heart disease or stroke, even if you are seemingly healthy and have none of the commonly known risk factors, don’t assume you are not at risk. Genetics also play an important role in the picture and in the evaluation we perform at our office. For more information on this methodology, visit www.baledoneen.com.