Cardiovascular Diseases Treatment Center in NYC
CARDIOLOGY:
Cardiology is an important part of the Fratellone Medical Associates practice, which uses noninvasive conventional tests, as well as CT angiograms of the heart (www.imagingheart.com), to assess your condition. (For your convenience, most cardiology tests are performed within the office.) This integrative approach enables Dr. Fratellone to detect problems at an early stage and treat patients with an aggressive nutritional program in order to prevent stroke and/or heart attack or diabetes. Vitamins, minerals and/or herbs may also be prescribed. Some of the most commonly used "cardiac supplements" include co-enzyme Q10, taurine, carnitine and essential fatty acids (essential oils).
 Cardiovascular diseases treated include:
- Coronary Artery Disease: A condition in which the vessels that supply oxygenated blood to the heart are blocked with plaque, which can weaken the vessel walls. Also known as atherosclerosis.
- Valvular Heart Disease: A condition in which one or more of the four valves of the heart have narrowed, stiffened, fused or are blocked, interfering with the smooth passage of blood.
- Arrhythmia: Abnormal heart rate, either too fast or too slow.
- Cardiomyopathy: Enlargement of the heart, weakening its chamber walls and making it unable to function effectively.
- Congestive Heart Failure: When the heart can't pump enough blood to the body's other organs, which can result from coronary artery disease, a previous heart attack, high blood pressure, valvular heart disease, cardiomyopathy, infection of the heart or congenital heart defects.
- Hypertension: Also known as high blood pressure, a condition in which blood flows through the arteries with more force than is normal.
Numerous bacteria and viruses can increase the risk of coronary artery disease. See Infections and Inflammation of the Heart.
The noninvasive cardiology diagnostic services offered by Fratellone Medical Associates include:
Based on the tests you have been given and the diagnosis made, Dr. Fratellone will select an appropriate customized treatment plan. For more, see What to Expect as a Cardiac Patient.
For more on diagnosis of heart disease, see Cardiovascular Disease: Diagnostic Tests.
For more on treatment of heart disease, see Treatment of Cardiovascular Disease,
Did you know?
INFECTIONS AND INFLAMMATION OF THE HEART
Infections can increase the risk of coronary artery disease independent of other risk factors. This means that despite a normal lipid panel (cholesterol, LDL, HDL, triglycerides and homocysteine), you can still be at risk for a heart attack if your cardiac c-reactive protein (CRP) is elevated. Increases in cardiac CRP are also associated with increased risk for stroke and peripheral vascular disease. More than 20 different bacteria or viruses can cause infection/inflammation of the coronary arteries, including:
Studies also correlate mouth (periodontal) infections with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
Platelet stickiness and levels of CRP are linked: The stickier the platelets, the higher the levels of CRP, increasing the risk of a cardiac event. However, studies demonstrate that fibrinogen levels and platelet stickiness can be controlled with nutrients such as Omega-3 fatty acids, Nattokinase, bromaline and ginkgo.
Conventional cardiologists often prescribe Lipitor, Zocor and other statin drugs to reduce CRP levels. While studies show that statins have anti-inflammatory properties, they have no effect on lowering lipoprotein (a), another cardiovascular risk factor. Moreover, there are numerous side effects associated with statin use.
If your cardiac CRP is elevated, we recommend you obtain all other cardiac factor blood tests, namely fibrinogen, homocysteine and lipoprotein (a), in addition to LDL, HDL and triglycerides.
You should also undergo a stress test, whether nuclear or stress echo. Finally, you should undergo calcium scoring, or EBCT (electron beam CT), to reveal the amount of calcium plaque within each coronary artery. It is also vital that the source of the infection be found, using blood analysis and urine samples. Treatment is individualized, however many nutritional supplements can reduce CRP, including ginger, tumeric, boswellia, coleus forskholii, white willow bark and ginkgo.
WHAT TO EXPECT AS A CARDIAC PATIENT
Your experience as a cardiac patient at Fratellone Medical Associates begins with an initial assessment by a nurse practitioner. This includes a comprehensive medical history and physical examination, review of laboratory test results, an electrocardiogram and other noninvasive cardiac tests. Our laboratory data profile goes well beyond total cholesterol levels.
It is well known that the traditional risk factors for cardiovascular disease include elevated stress levels, high blood pressure (hypertension), physical inactivity, poor diet, smoking and diabetes. In the past the only clinical markers used to ascertain risk for heart disease were lipid levels, which include total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) and triglycerides (TG).
Instead, Fratellone Medical Associates is one of the few medical practices that tests for and treats for a variety of additional cardiac risk factors that have only recently been extensively studied. These crucial risk factors include:
- Cardiac or high sensitive c-reactive protein (CRP): High levels of this marker indicate inflammation and infection of the coronary arteries;
- Fibrinogen: Too much of this blood clotting factor makes your blood clot too easily. A clot blocking an artery can cause a heart attack or stroke.
- Homocysteine: A “bad” amino acid that promotes blockage of blood vessels;
- Lipoprotein(a): Another low-density lipid, this gluey substance promotes blockage of blood vessels.
At Fratellone Medical Associates, we also test conventional lipid levels—total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, and triglycerides.
For more on testing, see Diagnosis of Cardiovascular Disease.
|
