Cardiomyopathy Medical Treatment Center in NYC

A cardiomypathy refers to a dilation of the heart. There are many causes for a cardiomyopathy.  Some of the most common causes are valvular heart disease, congestive heart failure and ischemia (blockage) of the coronary arteries.

The most common cause of cardiomyopathy in the United States is alcohol use. There is even an association between heavy alcohol ingestion and atrial fibrillation. This syndrome is called ‘Holiday Heart Syndrome’.  The second most common cause is a viral infection that affects the cardiac muscle. The most common virus cited has been the coxsachie virus which was discovered in Coxsackie, New York near Albany. There have been other viruses known to cause a myocarditis which leads to a cardiomyopathy.

A newly recognized cause, previously not considered, is heavy metal toxicity. A study published in 1999 in a well-known cardiology journal, found that patients with cardiomyopathy had abnormal levels of certain metals on a cardiac muscle biopsy.
Some of these metals were mercury, antimony, cadmium and gold.

At Fratellone Medical Associates,  we test for heavy metals in the body using a provocative urine challenge test.  Although each individual patient is different, a personalized chelation protocol will be implemented for patients with high levels of heavy metals.

A cardiomyopathy whether ischemic or not will lead to a decrease in pumping function. The normal ejection fraction is 55 – 75 %.

Cardiomyopathy Treatment:

The most common treatment for a dilated cardiomyopathy is to find the cause. After the cause is found, treatment should be rendered.  If a  pathogen virus/bacteria is found, treatment should be started. The use of antibiotics can be used. Our practice utilizes herbs/supplements as well as photoluminescence.

At Fratellone Medical Associates, we use CoQ10  for treatment of a cardiomyopathy.  CoQ10 was  first discovered by Dr. Folkers in 1957.  CoQ 10 also called ubiquinone, a name that signifies this quinone’s ubiquitous( widespread) distribution in the human body. CoQ10 aids the powerhouse of the cell, the mitochondria in making ATP which is the bodies source of energy. The supplementation of this nutrient is essential due to turnover rate.  Our modern western diet only supplies less than 5 mg/day of CoQ10.

The depletion of CoQ10 from the body can take place by the intake of fluoride and use of statin drugs to lower cholesterol.  It is known that Merck patented the use of CoQ10 in 1990, in combination with statin drugs, but to date they have not produced such a combination.  Dr. Krone and Dr. Ely state that CoQ10 has a free radical quenching ability greater than that of Vitamin E , which prevents irreversible oxidative damage.
Since 1972, there have been multiple animal studies indicating the benefits of CoQ10 or stroke prevention.

The optimal dose is always a question that is raised by my patients. The optimal dose has not been established, but I feel that 100mg / day is far too low.

The dosage of CoQ10 varies from patient to patient . For some cardiomyopathy patients the dose might be 400mg/day.

Studies using Coenzyme Q10 in Parkinson’s have been done where the average dose is 1800mg to 2400mg / day. Other studies have been done for the use of CoQ10 in migraines, and macular degeneration.

In addition to CoEnzyme Q10, we utilize the following supplements in treating cardiomyopathy patients:

• L-carnitine
• D- ribose
• L-taurine
• Magnesium
• Essential Oils

Our approach at Fratellone Medical Treatment Center is to provide our patients for extensive ongoing conventional medical care, while providing the most effective integration with alternative treatments.