Category: Preventive Cardio

Dr. Steve Parcell and NatureMed Integrative Medicine have partnered with Cleerly to provide the most detailed noninvasive analysis of coronary artery plaque available. Cleerly uses supercomputing to identify, characterize, and quantify arterial plaque. This test outperforms stress tests and calcium scoring alone in terms of both sensitivity and specificity. A coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) test from Cleerly has higher sensitivity and specificity compared to traditional stress tests and calcium scoring. Read on to find out why. Image courtesy of Cleerly   The Limitations of a Coronary Artery Calcium (CAC) Scoring Scan 20 years ago, Coronary Artery Calcium (CAC) scoring scans were the cutting edge in preventive cardiology. Now it is an aging technology with limited use compared to a CT angiogram. Calcium scoring adds value to a complete cardiology work-up (electrocardiogram, echocardiogram and a stress test) because it provides an estimate of calcified plaque. It can help individualized treatment for a patient who is asymptomatic. But by the time there is chest pain from blocked arteries it is too late and calcium scoring is not helpful. In these cases, the patient will typically, but not always, fail the stress test, ECG, and an angiogram will show blocked arteries. A...

Many of us involved in extending life span and preventing disease are very excited about rapamycin right now. This is because low-dose rapamycin can slow, or even reverse aging. It is the best thing we have to date when it comes to extending life span. There is considerable research in motion on rapamycin and its role in human disease. I am particularly interested in its role in cardiovascular prevention, especially in reversing arterial disease and heart disease. What is Rapamycin and How Does it Work? Rapamycin was discovered on Easter Island in 1965. It is made by a bacterium called Streptomyces hygroscopicus and was first used as an antifungal. Because it is a naturally occurring compound it is a naturopathic medicine. It is now used in conventional medicine to prevent organ rejection, after vascular surgery, and as a cancer treatment. There can be considerable side effects of rapamycin with the high doses given for these conditions. The lower doses used for cardiovascular prevention and aging mean that side effects are rare. The treatment of middle-aged mice with a rapamycin has been shown to extend lifespan and reduce several age associated diseases. Rapamycin works by inhibiting mTOR, a protein that regulates...

Our Dr. Stephen Parcell, N.D. will be co-presenting for a webinar hosted by the Advanced Applications in Medical Practice (AAMP) on Saturday, November 20, 2021, 8:00AM PST. The webinar, entitled Advanced Cardiology for the Clinician, will provide clinicians with six hours of advanced educational learning, six AMA Cat-1 CME credits, and six pharmacy credits. Dr. Stephen Parcell will join Dr. Paul Anderson, and Dr. Kashra Pournadeali, N.D., FACN for this webinar. Details: 1-Day online CME webinar providing updates for the integrative practitioner Saturday, November 20, 2021 8:00AM – 3:00PM PST Course Description: Overview of cardiovascular pathophysiology and pharmacology How the system fails (how the heart becomes dysfunctional), understanding drugs used, and gender differences in cardiovascular disease Four specific sections including case studies, updating non-drug options in hypertension, hyperlipidemia, heart failure, dysrhythmias Interventions including diet, nutrient, lifestyle and botanical approaches What you need to know to implement everything in your office   Register for the Webinar

Coronary heart disease is one of the leading causes of death among both men and women in the United States. Many cardiac patients are choosing to use chelation therapy for heart disease as a form of complementary medicine. But is it safe and effective? Claims of safety concerns caused by low calcium are no longer an issue because disodium EDTA was taken off the market. Disodium EDTA had to be infused slowly because of its effect on blood levels of calcium. We now use calcium EDTA which can be infused very quickly and is very safe. Let’s look at studies examining the effectiveness of chelation with EDTA. EDTA and Chelation Studies Trial to Assess Chelation Therapy (TACT): A clinical trial called the Trial to Assess Chelation Therapy (TACT) attempted to answer the question of safety and effectiveness. This clinical trial, an NIH-sponsored multicenter, double-blind safety and efficacy study, took place from 2002-2012 and was conducted in 134 sites across the United States and Canada. During TACT, 1,708 people, 50+ years old, with previous heart attacks were randomly assigned to receive 40 infusions of a chelation solution or a placebo (inactive) infusion. Research participants also received an oral vitamin and mineral...

Dr. Stephen Parcell wrote an article for Naturopathic Doctor News & Review that dives into vascular health and aging, diet and lifestyle measures, arterial stiffening, testing and treatment. Learn about extensive diagnostic and treatment options for patients seeking advanced age management. Too often, patients seeking age-management medicine tend to be most interested in their appearance. Because of this demand, medical professionals tend to also focus on cosmetic interventions, including testosterone for big muscles, hair implants, skin peels, laser treatments, dermabrasion, hormone replacement, and endless supplements – all toward the goal of hopefully looking better. I believe more emphasis should be placed on disease prevention. Though dermatologic improvements have obvious merit, prevention of serious diseases such as heart attack, stroke, and cancer often get sidelined because they hold less sex appeal. “Anti-aging medicine” will not do us any good if we die of a stroke or heart attack next week. Real optimal aging occurs from the inside out. While it will take no convincing of a naturopathic doctor that sleep, exercise, diet, and lifestyle factors promoting healthy adaptation to stress are the underpinnings of health and age management, this concept is often underemphasized by conventional anti-aging providers. Read the Full Article in Naturopathic Doctor News & Review