Cardiovascular
Health
At Zimmermann Modern Wellness, we offer the latest diagnostics and treatment strategies for cardiovascular health. Dr. Zimmermann, the director and primary physician at ZMW trained directly under Dr. Mark Houston, a leading hypertension and cardiovascular integrative medicine specialist. She is specially trained on protocols for lowering cardiovascular inflammatory markers and preventative strategies for reducing stroke and heart disease risk.
What Cardiovascular Concerns can Functional Medicine Address?
Functional Medicine offers the latest diagnostics and preventative strategies for cardiovascular concerns such as: hypertension, high cholesterol or dyslipidemia, high triglycerides, atherosclerosis, and arteriosclerosis.
What are Common Cardiovascular Symptoms?
Common symptoms of cardiovascular dysfunction include: shortness of breath, chest pain, high blood pressure, headaches upon waking, dizzy vision, and/or facial flushing.
Cardiovascular
Concerns: Risk Factors
There are a broad range of factors that increase the overall risk of cardiovascular dysfunction: most are lifestyle based while a few are genetic in nature
smoking
obesity
insulin resistance/ diabetes
leaky gut
vitamin d deficiency
heavy metal toxicity
sleep apnea
gum disease
genetic risk
The Problem with Standard Cardiovascular Stress Tests
Traditional Cardiovascular Stress testing typically will only come back abnormal when there is at least 70% blockage in the arteries of the heart. At this point, the risks of critical cardiovascular events such as heart attack and stroke are in the danger zone.
Further, conventional carotid artery ultrasounds only measure the flow of blood through the lumen, not the thickness of the arterial wall. The thickness of the arterial wall is a superior diagnostic indicator of plaque buildup and the risk of plaque rupture. Oftentimes patients in the high risk zone can be given normal results due to this gap in testing.
Advanced Diagnostics:
Cardiovascular Biomarkers
Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) when fractionated into smaller particles becomes more “sticky”, easily adhering to the wall of the arteries. This can lead to dangerous levels of plaque buildup, heightening the risk for stroke and heart attack.
LDL Cholesterol becomes a bigger issue when the particles become oxidized. Oxidation causes the LDL particles to have greater adhesion force (become “sticky”). This process occurs with: high inflammation levels, high refined sugar intake, and oxidative stress.
Inflammation within the blood vessels causes endothelial damage, allowing particles to adhere and plaque to buildup. Inflammatory biomarkers such as C-reactive protein and homocysteine are critical markers of cardiovascular inflammation.
The same tight gap junctions in the GI tract exist within the blood vessels. Oftentimes when the gut is “leaky” so are the blood vessels, leading to systemic inflammation. Insulin resistance is known to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease by up to 18% for each one point increase in HbA1c.
Certain genetic SNP’s that allow for elevated levels of lipoprotein a (lpa) can increase the risk for cardiovascular disease. Genetic testing can provide valuable clinical insight for risk analysis.
Fatty acid ratio of Omega 3 to Omega 6 is a key indicator of systemic inflammation levels. While Omega 6 is critical for immune regulation, excess levels of Omega 6 in combination with deficient Omega 3 levels can cause an imbalance in inflammation processes.
CIMT: the Latest Cardiovascular Scan
The Carotid Intima-Media Thickness (CIMT) test is a non invasive ultrasound exam that measures the thickness of the arterial wall, where plaque can be residing in. The thickness of the carotid artery is an accurate early diagnostic indicator of the state of the arteries within the heart. This scan is done in office by a trained technician as part of a comprehensive cardiovascular assessment.
Lead Toxicity &
Cardiovascular Disease:
the Connection
Lead, a heavy metal has shown deleterious effects on the cardiovascular system, including increasing the risk of hypertension and cardiovascular disease.
Lead’s effects on the cardiovascular system include:
- Increasing oxidative stress
- Impairing nitric oxide production
- Inducing endothelial damage
- Inhibiting new blood vessel formation
- Altering the renin-angiotensin loop
- Stiffening the endocalyx of blood vessel lining
in fact....
An FDA approved TACT trial studied the lead body burden’s association with atherosclerosis and heart disease. This trial specifically studied patients with late stage atherosclerosis who were to undergo heart bypass surgery. Instead of the surgery, participants were given continuous chelation therapy. The group receiving the chelation therapy saw a 20% reduction in lead body burden and significant reduction in plaque formation and arterial blockages in addition to improvement in their symptoms of chest pain.
Our Treatment Superstars
Chelation therapy involves the infusion of metal chelating agents, Calcium EDTA or Sodium EDTA. These chelating agents gently remove heavy metals from the body’s bloodstream and tissues. This therapy has proven effective in FDA Tact trials in conditions such as atherosclerosis, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease.
Ozone therapy infuses potent oxygen into the bloodstream. This staple treatment: improves blood circulation, increases the flexibility of red blood cells for enhanced microcirculation, and rejuvenates the lining of the blood vessels.
Phosphatidylcholine (PC) is a vital substance that composes cell membranes. By infusing phosphatidylcholine into the bloodstream, the body has extra resources to repair damaged cells.
Medical grade nutraceutical protocols are designed to reduce cardiovascular inflammation, deliver key cardiovascular nutrients, boost nitric oxide production, and repair leaky membranes. This protocol helps to restore the elasticity of blood vessels and healthy blood circulation.
Nutrition plays a critical role in the health of the cardiovascular system. A diet rich in omega 3 fatty acids, leafy greens, and heart healthy oils is a staple in our cardiovascular protocols. Elimination diets may be recommended based on individual sensitivities.
Exosomes, regenerative extracellular vesicles, promote tissue repair and reduce inflammation. This regenerative procedure is beneficial in chronic cardiovascular conditions where there is a certain degree of damage.
Are you ready to begin your journey to wellness and feel your best?
Reach out to our team at Zimmermann Modern Wellness to get your personalized treatment plan today.