Why early cardiovascular testing matters
Time is precious, especially when it comes to medical treatment. Wasted time waiting for an official diagnosis or treatment plan is like the sound of a clock ticking away. How many times have we heard stories of people who had a sudden heart attack or stroke, whose life could have been saved with early testing or prevention techniques?
Unfortunately, when it comes to heart disease, many people are not receiving the correct care for their unique conditions. That is why Carey McNamara, PA-C, of Whole Heart Family Medicine in North Charleston, opened a heart attack and stroke prevention center last year called the Kadima Center for Heart Attack & Stroke Prevention.
“Heart disease is the No. 1 cause of death in men and women in our nation, and stroke is the No. 1 cause of disability. Both are almost completely preventable. This is a travesty and why I opened my heart attack and stroke prevention center – to offer hope and real solutions to the community,” McNamara said.
McNamara pointed out that for more than half of patients with heart disease, the first symptom is sudden death, with no other warning signs of the disease.
What traditional stress tests can miss
According to the Heart and Stroke Encyclopedia, heart disease begins with atherosclerosis, the process of plaque building up in the arteries, and it takes decades to develop before it leads to an actual event, including a heart attack, stroke or death. Over time, plaque can grow in the arteries and eventually obstruct blood flow and oxygen to the heart – known as obstructive coronary artery disease. This is the type of heart disease that can be identified by a traditional stress test but only in the advanced stages of the disease process, usually when 70% or more of the artery is blocked.
Conversely, according to Harvard Health, patients with mild to moderate degrees of plaque growth are in danger, too, because most heart attacks occur from arteries that are less than 50% blocked. If the plaque is soft and vulnerable, it can rupture and lead to the sudden development of a blood clot. These patients could pass a traditional stress test at their cardiologist’s office and then have ruptured plaque the next day that causes a clot and takes their life.
Arterial plaques silently expand over decades, raising the risk not only for heart attack and stroke but also for dementia, chronic kidney disease, erectile dysfunction, peripheral vascular disease and many other chronic debilitating conditions. “When you focus on keeping your arteries healthy, you keep all your organs healthy,” McNamara said.
This is why advanced testing for heart attack and stroke is so vital; it can identify hidden risk factors so treatment can be implemented early on and save lives. Unlike current risk calculators that could misclassify an individual’s risk of heart disease, advanced testing can help explain the etiology of heart disease through more comprehensive assessments, tests that are not ordered as part of a routine medical workup.
How the Kadima Center approaches prevention
McNamara explained that the Kadima Center for Heart Attack & Stroke Prevention focuses on identifying the true root causes of cardiovascular disease through advanced imaging and comprehensive lab testing. Its approach includes an in-depth panel evaluating lipids, genetics, inflammation and metabolic health, paired with in-office diagnostics that can detect plaque and vascular dysfunction in the earliest stages – often years before symptoms appear.
“Instead of relying on traditional stress tests, we use cardiopulmonary exercise testing, which not only uncovers early vascular dysfunction but also measures VO2 max, the leading marker of overall health and longevity. We also perform carotid intima-media thickness scans to detect subtle arterial inflammation and early plaque long before it begins to obstruct blood flow,” she said.
Safe, inexpensive, painless and reliable imaging techniques now exist that detect silent nonobstructing arterial plaque, or atheroma, a prerequisite for most cardiovascular events. Additionally, numerous health issues are known to produce inflammation of the arteries, which causes atherosclerosis. Each can be managed effectively to extinguish the inflammation. When this is accomplished, the disease will halt, significantly mitigating the risk of an acute obstructive cardiovascular event.
“More than half of all heart attacks in men and nearly one-third in women occur before age 65. Heart disease isn’t something to worry about later. It often develops silently for decades. That’s why at Kadima Center we strongly recommend that every adult over 40 undergo advanced cardiovascular testing. Identifying hidden risk early gives you the power to act now – with targeted lifestyle changes and, when needed, the right medications – to prevent heart disease before it ever becomes a threat. The current standard of care is not enough to beat our leading killer, but, with the right testing and treatments, there is no need to live in fear. Every day we help patients beat the statistics,” McNamara concluded.
Carey McNamara, PA-C
For more information on comprehensive testing for heart disease, visit kadimacenter.com.
By Theresa Stratford
