
Heart Health
Heart health focuses on knowing your risk for heart diseases such as enlargement of the heart, stroke and heart attack. Most people think cardiac risk assessment involves just monitoring cholesterol numbers, but there is more that can be done to assess your cardiac risk. At Oasis Integrative Medicine we know all about heart health and the many ways to evaluate your risks and provide you with a treatment plan that goes beyond medications.
The Four Parts of Heart Disease Testing
Lipids
Lipids are comprised of different types of cholesterol and fats that are needed to help your body function. The sizes and types of these lipids play a role in your risk for heart disease.
Along with basic cholesterol we test for:
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ApoB- a part of LDL "bad cholesterol"
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sdLDL- small bad cholesterol
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Lp(a) -dangerous inherited LDL
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ApoA1-strength of good cholesterol to remove bad cholesterol
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Alpha-1 size of good cholesterol
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Many other markers are included in testing
Inflammation
Inflammation does not only affect your joints- it can also affect your arteries. Inflammation damages the lining of the artery wall which can lead to the formation of blockages and a heart attack or stroke
We test these markers of inflammation:
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MPO- marker of blockage forming or breaking.
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LpPLA2 Activity-marker of blockage forming, cracking or shifting
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hs-CRP- marker of inflammation
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Fibrinogen-marker of early inflammation
Metabolics
Diabetes which includes insulin resistance can lead to heart disease. The excess sugar in the blood over time damages the artery wall increasing your risk for heart attack or stroke.
We test the following metabolic markers:
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Diabetes Risk Assessment
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HbA1c- average blood sugar over 3 months
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Insulin Resistance-body's ability to process sugar
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Glucose- actual amount of sugar in your blood
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Adiponectin- protective hormone produced by fat
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Insulin- hormone that controls blood sugar
Genetics
Your genes can determine how your body responds to medications, nutrition and lifestyle changes. This information allows for the creation of a customized plan of care to help decrease your risk of heart disease.
You may have a gene type that does not process a particular medication well. In this case you may need a different dose, type of drug, supplement or lifestyle change.
Why not consider all the factors?
1 in 4 deaths in the United States results from heart disease.
For most people heart disease is preventable and reversible.
Comprehensive lab testing can help you take action, decrease your risk and improve your heart health.
