Cardiometabolic Health

What Is Cardiometabolic Health?

Cardiometabolic Health refers to the interconnection between cardiovascular and metabolic systems, including heart health, blood sugar regulation, and inflammation. When these systems are out of balance, the risk of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes increases. Understanding and optimizing cardiometabolic health is essential for long-term wellness and disease prevention.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States.

Cardiometabolic Risk: More Than Just Cholesterol

Cardiometabolic risk includes a cluster of interrelated factors that contribute to heart disease and metabolic dysfunction. These include:

✔️ Dyslipidemia (high LDL, high triglycerides, low HDL)
✔️ High blood pressure
✔️ Elevated blood sugar & insulin resistance
✔️ Abdominal obesity
✔️ Smoking
✔️ Family history of heart disease

Why a Deeper Look Matters

Many conventional practitioners rely only on cholesterol numbers to assess cardiovascular risk. However, research shows that nearly half of heart attacks occur in people with normal cholesterol levels. Simply driving cholesterol to very low levels may also increase the risk of early cognitive decline.

A Comprehensive, Personalized Approach

Dr. Nielsen takes a Functional Medicine approach to cardiometabolic health, looking beyond basic cholesterol tests to assess true risk factors. Advanced testing may include:

🔬 Advanced lipid fractionation (for a detailed cholesterol profile)
💉 Blood sugar & insulin levels (to assess metabolic health)
🔥 Markers of inflammation & oxidative stress (key drivers of disease)
🌀 Hormone balance (which influences metabolism and heart health)
🍊 Micronutrient testing (to identify deficiencies that impact cardiovascular function)

Additionally, Dr. Nielsen utilizes state-of-the-art imaging such as:

🫀 Coronary artery calcium (CAC) scoring (to measure plaque buildup)
🩸 Carotid artery intima-media thickness (CIMT) (to assess arterial health)