Cardiovascular standard of care is trapped in a time warp, drawing on 60-year old assumptions about blood lipids and progressively obstructive plaque.
This is the challenge thrown by Drs. Kara Fitzgerald and Kristine Burke in a wide-ranging interview about vascular health, which remains the most decisive factor in most patients’ life expectancy. Listen to their conversation.
First, the two practitioners emphasize the importance of advanced lipid panels that take into account LDL particle size and the presence of LPa. Then they shift attention from serum contents to the blood vessel wall and the greater hazards of vulnerable, as opposed to obstructive, plaque.
They home in on the role of the endothelial glycocalyx (EGX), the microscopic inner lining of every artery, vein and capillary. They emphasize its vital role regulating the passage of serum contents through the blood vessel wall, as well its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant functions.
In their conversation, the two practitioners consider the systemic implications of this important discovery, looking beyond cardiovascular health to kidneys, eyes, and sexual function.
They also discuss the clinical implications, and the markers they focus on when measuring vascular function in their patients, such as MPO, ADMA, and Lp-PLA2.
To learn more about upstream vascular interventions, watch a short presentation by Kristine Burke, MD.
Dr. Fitzgerald received her doctorate of naturopathic medicine from National College of Natural Medicine in Portland, Oregon. She completed the first CNME-accredited post-doctorate position in nutritional biochemistry and laboratory science at Metametrix (now Genova) Clinical Laboratory under the direction of Richard Lord, Ph.D. Her residency was completed at Progressive Medical Center, a large, integrative medical practice in Atlanta, Georgia. She is the lead author and editor of Case Studies in Integrative and Functional Medicine and is a contributing author to Laboratory Evaluations for Integrative and Functional Medicine and the Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM)’s Textbook for Functional Medicine.
Dr Burke is board certified in family medicine and sports medicine, and fully certified in Functional Medicine. She is the Chief Medical Officer for Diabetes Reversal Group LLC, and has practiced the full spectrum of family medicine in the Folsom and El Dorado Hills areas since 1997. Dr. Burke believes that the best medical care requires time, a trusting relationship, and a collaborative approach to achieve the most successful personal outcomes: good health, longevity, and superior quality of life. She truly enjoys caring for her patients and strives to guide them to wellness and prevention, as well as carefully managing their illnesses and medical conditions.
IMPORTANT NOTICE:
The information on this webpage is for licensed healthcare practitioner education only, and is not to be disseminated to the general public.