At TD&E, we believe that cardiovascular risk reduction and prevention is one of our most important jobs. The most common cause of death in our patients with and without Diabetes is heart attack and stroke is a close second. At TD&E, we offer cardiovascular risk assessment, which includes Advanced Lipid Testing.
Patients can expect thorough lab testing of cardiovascular disease and heart attack risk factors including advanced lipid testing and testing of measures of artery inflammation. Our testing and treatment approaches are designed with Heart Disease PREVENTION as the ultimate goal. We have physicians and physician extenders that are boarded in Lipidology with long experience in treating cholesterol disorders. We are constantly staying up to date in this practice area. Having the Lipidology Board demonstrates a high level of proficiency and knowledge in the treatment of lipid disorders and cardiovascular risk.
Advanced Lipid Testing
The CDC states that 50% of people who have heart attacks have “normal” cholesterol. Traditional lipid testing (cholesterol, LDL & HDL) may miss up to 50% of people who have abnormal lipids. It is time to go beyond traditional cholesterol measurements in order to prevent cardiovascular disease.
At TD&E, we believe that advanced lipid testing leads to treatments designed to PREVENT cardiovascular disease. Providing this testing for our patients allows us to create a more accurate and personalized treatment plan.
Coronary artery calcium (CAC) test
At TDE we frequently order and interpret coronary artery calcium scores (CAC) to help tailor recommendations for patients. This test is a specialized non invasive procedure similar to an Xray that provides pictures of your heart that can help your provider detect and measure calcium containing plaques in the arteries that supply blood to your heart.
Plaque inside the arteries of your heart can grow and restrict blood flow to the heart muscle. This test can help identify possible coronary artery disease before you have signs and symptoms. We use this test to help us identify what you need—medication or lifestyle changes—to reduce your risk of heart attack or other heart problems.
Important insights for Cardiovascular patients:
- Most people who have heart attacks have no warning symptoms, but most have risk factors for heart attack which can be modified. We think that this approach can help prevent these events,which makes understanding and modifying their risk for heart attack imperative.
- Some risk markers for heart attack are not done on the usual cholesterol testing and these tests can help determine cardiovascular risk.
- Lifestyle changes such as weight loss, and exercise are essential in reducing cardiovascular risk.
- The #1 cause of death in this country is still heart disease. We have work left to do to fight this disease.