The Heart of the Matter

This year at NFC we are putting more emphasis on patient education and providing events and other gatherings where patients and the community as a whole can not only receive education from health professionals but have a chance to connect with other individuals who might share in their health concerns.

This month we have Dr. Marie hosting a FREE BREAKFAST and FREE Cardiovascular lab testing Saturday, March 5th starting at 8am. Blood draws 8-9, breakfast starting at 8:15 and health lecture starting at 9am. Dr. Marie will also be hosting a free health lecture titled, Oh, My Aching Head! Thursday, March 24th 6pm at NFC. Space is limited so please call 602.493.2273 to RSVP.

To keep up to date on all the events at NFC visit our facebook page.


Cholesterol – It is more than just a number
Marie Niechwiadowicz, NMD

Patient 1 has his blood work run and his total cholesterol is 182. Patient 2 has hers run and it is 232. We are told that total cholesterol should be less than 200. Who has healthier cholesterol levels and less risk for heart disease?

Trick question – without breaking down the total number into LDL, VLDL and HDL the number is useless.

Quick definitions:
HDL – high density lipoprotein. Considered to be protective against heart disease – often called the “good cholesterol.” The higher the number the better. Should be at least 45.
LDL – low density lipoprotein. Causes the formation of arterial plaque – the “bad cholesterol.” Should be less than 130, less than 100 is optimal.
VLDL - very low density lipoprotein. Considered even worse than LDL as a cardiac risk factor. Should be less than 29.

Back to the patients numbers:
Patient 1 HDL 12, LDL 135, VLDL 35 = Total Cholesterol 182
Patient 2 HDL 142 LDL 85, VLDL 5 = Total Cholesterol 232

Obviously Patient 2 has a much lower risk for heart disease even though her total cholesterol would be considered high. Interestingly, half of the people who have heart attacks have “normal” cholesterol levels.

There is more…
Trigylcerides, apolipoprotien, the size and the density of the LDL, remnant lipoprotein, homocysteine levels, c-reactive proteins, and insulin resistance all contribute to your risk of heart disease -- even more so than VLDL and LDL. These factors indicate when the conditions are most conducive to creating arterial plaque.

So why do we need cholesterol? Cholesterol is the building block for our hormones – estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, aldosterone, and cortisol are all made from cholesterol. It is possible to have too little cholesterol especially through over supplementation/medication.

Bloodwork is available to test all these risk factors in addition to the HDL, LDL and Total cholesterol. These labs are a valuable tool since the strategy to reduce one risk factor is different for another. Diet and exercise should be the first line of therapy to reduce cardiac risk factors. As always, good medicine is not one supplement/drug fits all. Attend our talk March 5th to learn about your cardiac risk factors and create a plan to optimize your heart health.