Dr Ford Brewer - PrevMed Dr Brewer's Friday Rant: Cardiovascular Inflammation - Ford Brewer MD MPH - PrevMed Health
Mar 2, 2025
Delve into the pivotal role of cardiovascular inflammation in heart health and why understanding this link can save lives. Learn the essential biomarkers for assessing inflammation and how lifestyle changes can outshine procedural interventions. Discover the impact of carbohydrate choices on prediabetes and why whole foods matter. Get insights on the revolutionary role of continuous glucose monitors and the health benefits tied to Japan's cultural eating habits. Finally, challenge the notion that being slim guarantees metabolic health.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Inflammation's Known Heart Risk
- Inflammation causes heart attacks and strokes and this has been known since 2004.
- However, many cardiologists still do not focus on inflammation in their practice.
Limits of CRP Testing
- C-reactive protein (CRP) is a common marker for inflammation but it's highly nonspecific and prone to false positives.
- A positive CRP does not indicate cardiovascular inflammation specifically.
Kidney Protein Leakage Signals Artery Damage
- Protein spilling in urine (microalbumin-creatinine ratio) signals damage to kidney filters which are analogous to artery lining.
- This suggests artery lining dysfunction and likely LDL cholesterol leakage causing plaque formation.