Heart Disease

When looking into aging and longevity, assessing your risk for heart disease and high cholesterol is essential! As you age, your risk for heart disease increases. Heart disease is the number one killer of men and women in the United States, responsible for 1 in every five deaths.

Arteriosclerosis, commonly known as “hardening of the arteries,” is the most common change in adults as they age. Compounded with increased blood pressure as we age and the fat building up in the arteries, called atherosclerosis, one can see how every patient and every longevity provider needs to take every step possible in identifying and delaying the onset of heart disease. Early detection and intervention, combined with preventative measures, provide you with the best opportunity to minimize the effects of heart disease on your longevity.

High cholesterol can lead to many medical problems, including heart disease and stroke. Cholesterol is a necessary fat or lipid used to build healthy cells. Contrary to widely held belief, it is not just the excess of cholesterol that leads to heart disease but how inflammation, oxidation, and glycation affect the cholesterol in your body. These factors can transform cholesterol from soft, fluffy fat into dense, dangerous fat.

The cause of high cholesterol is a mixture of genetics, diet, and exercise.  Many cardiac genes are inherited from your parents, and in these familial cases the cholesterol can be astonishingly high.  Even with treatment with some of the strongest cholesterol-lowering medications, these patients struggle to maintain a healthy heart.

We cannot emphasize the importance of diet and exercise enough.  Our daily high-calorie intake, usually processed sugar and trans-fats, combined with decreased exercise, provides the perfect storm for heart disease.

The combination of cholesterol attached to proteins when it is carried through your blood is called a lipoprotein. There are two distinct types of lipoproteins in your body.

• Low-density Lipoprotein (LDL), the Bad Cholesterol: This lipoprotein transports cholesterol through your bloodstream. This type is “bad” because it can be responsible for building up in your arteries.
• High-density Lipoprotein (HDL), the Good Cholesterol: This type of lipoprotein is considered good because it removes excess cholesterol from artery walls and returns it to your liver for excretion.

Though high cholesterol can be inherited genetically, it is more often the result of poor lifestyle choices, especially concerning diet and exercise. Fortunately, this means that high cholesterol is entirely preventable and, in most cases, treatable.

Some factors can contribute to high cholesterol that is beyond your control. We have already mentioned genetics, but here are some other causes which trigger elevated levels of cholesterol:

Unfortunately, high cholesterol has been dubbed a “silent killer,” as there are no identifiable symptoms, including an individual’s appearance. Regular screenings every five years, starting between the ages of 9 and 11, are necessary to detect and treat high cholesterol.

High cholesterol can affect any age, but the risks increase as you age, so to be proactive, we recommend more frequent screenings every two years for men starting at 45 and women starting at 55.  After 65, screenings are done annually.

There are many methods of approaching heart disease; none is better than a comprehensive, traditional test mixed with a non-traditional approach to optimize your heart health.

Cholesterol is both made by your liver and absorbed from your diet.  Cholesterol is carried to the cells by carriers made of protein, LDL lipoproteins, to be exact.  These LDL carriers come in all sizes, from big and fluffy to small and dense.  The LDL is generally big and fluffy until acted upon by inflammation, oxidation, and glycation, which turns this big and fluffy mass into a small and dense particles.  These small dense LDL are like bullets speeding through your arteries and colliding with the arterial wall. When this occurs, an inflammatory response is initiated, and the artery tries to heal itself, often with the cholesterol still inside the artery wall.

Treating heart disease starts by examining your diet, exercise, stress levels, sleep, and social habits like smoking. In addition, advanced testing is performed to analyze all the facets of your heart disease, ensuring that a proper and balanced approach to your health is formulated.

There are many Advanced Testing methods for heart disease that our providers keep in their toolboxes. We take a “big look” at all the factors influencing heart disease and high cholesterol, such as toxins, hormones, and nutrient deficiencies.

Viewing the anatomy through a Coronary artery calcium score CT and the visceral fat through the Body Composition scan are a few methods we utilized to assess your current and future risk. The critical thing to remember is that you, as a unique individual, may require more or fewer tests than others. After an in-depth evaluation of your personal and family health history, your provider will determine which test is necessary for heart disease prevention and treatment.

Our comprehensive method of Testing for Heart Disease:

Contrary to traditional medicine, our doctors in Longevity Medicine use a multiarmed approach to treating heart disease. Our physicians will construct a plan for you which may include the following:

We value fact over opinion. Please refer to our FAQs for the most commonly asked questions. In addition, we have listed the medical references for the facts stated on the website.

To review the articles and references cited on this topic of Heart Disease, click here

1. WebMD. “Cholesterol and Triglycerides Resource Center.” https://www.webmd.com/cholesterol-management/cholesterol-faq
2. Mayo Clinic. “High Cholesterol.” https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-cholesterol/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20350806
3. Mayo Clinic. “Top 5 lifestyle changes to improve your cholesterol “. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-cholesterol/in-depth/reduce-cholesterol/art-20045935
4. Testing.” Apo B Test.” https://www.testing.com/tests/apo-b/
5. Mayo Clinics. “Triglycerides: Why do they matter? “. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-cholesterol/in-depth/triglycerides/art-20048186
6. Harvard Health Publishing. “Should you seek advanced cholesterol testing?” https://www.health.harvard.edu/womens-health/should-you-seek-advanced-cholesterol-testing-
7. Healthline. “What is Advanced Cholesterol Test Used For?” https://www.healthline.com/health/cholesterol/advanced-cholesterol-test#lowering-cholesterol
8. Mayo Clinic. High Cholesterol.” https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-cholesterol/symptoms-causes/syc-20350800
9. Cedar Sinai. “Coronary Artery Calcium Scans May Help Patients Lower Heart Disease Risk.” https://www.cedars-sinai.org/newsroom/coronary-artery-calcium-scans-may-help-patients-lower-heart-disease-risk/
10. National Institute on Aging. “Heart Health and Aging.” https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/heart-health-and-aging