There Is More to Heart Attack and Stroke Prevention Than Keeping Cholesterol Low

Many people already know the risks associated with high cholesterol and that heart disease is the leading cause of death in the world for both men and women. Unfortunately, most do not understand that simply maintaining low cholesterol levels is not all there is to preserving heart and cardiovascular health. Inflammation in the arteries can occur when cholesterol enters the blood stream, and studies from the Cleveland Heart Lab have shown that roughly half of patients who have suffered a stroke or heart attack had normal to low levels of cholesterol. That means half of stroke and heart attack victims were actually suffering from inflammation.

The Heart Attack and Stroke Prevention Center of California, based in Woodland Hills focuses on spreading awareness to patients about their heart health and risk of inflammation. When someone in the United States has a heart attack every 34 seconds, and half of those heart attacks are due to inflammation in the arteries, it is clear that more needs to be done to educate both patients about prevention. Fortunately, learning your risk for inflammation as well as the overall health and functioning of the arteries can be discovered through simple blood and urine biomarkers. This screening can provide a bigger picture of your heart health and can be used to prevent an acute heart attack or stroke from occurring in the future. The Heart Attack and Stroke Prevention Center of California is proud to offer these innovative blood and urine tests.  

How Inflammation of the Arteries Occurs:

 
Your arteries have a lining which over time, can be damaged from poor lifestyle habits (lack of exercise, poor diet) and is only accelerated by smoking, diabetes or high blood pressure. As with any health concern, genetics and family history can contribute to the health and optimal functioning of your cardiovascular system. When an artery’s lining erodes, it become easier for cholesterol in the blood to enter the artery, causing disease and complications. You could have low levels of cholesterol your whole life and not know your arterial lining has built up, is at risk for inflammation, or is already inflamed.

Benefits of Inflammation Testing for Heart Attack and Stroke Prevention in California

In the interest of achieving optimum longevity and wellness, it is important to focus on preventative care. Half of heart attacks are caused by inflammation which means too many patients are finding out too late that they have a heart problem. Education and awareness about the dangers of inflammation is one of the best ways to prevent more heart attacks and strokes. Although many Southern Californians want to be proactive about their health, too many only check their cholesterol levels. Testing for inflammation or your potential for risk is an incredibly simple, procedure, but can prove instrumental in helping you to know if you need to begin taking healthy measures to prevent increased inflammation, now.  In short, inflammation testing is imperative in order to understand your overall heart and cardiovascular health.

Dr. Allan Kurtz, founder of the Heart Attack and Stroke Prevention Center of Southern California in Woodland Hills focuses his practice on functional, preventative medicine and is dedicated to helping his patients achieve their best quality of life, while improving longevity. Dr. Kurtz offers inflammation testing at the Hearth Attack and Stroke Prevention Center of California in Los Angeles County.

Dr. Allan Kurtz specializes in creating ideal health and longevity plans for patients of all ages. Fellowship trained in Integrative and Functional Medicine, Dr. Kurtz is also a member of the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine and The Institute for Functional Medicine. The California Center of Longevity & Functional Medicine and the Heart Attack and Stroke Prevention Center of Southern California was founded in Woodland Hills, CA to aid patients throughout the greater Los Angeles area in restoring and maintaining optimal health for the long term.

To schedule a consultation contact us today at 818.346.1440