The specific research around the ways heart artery disease is different in women has been done. It is landmark research that has life or death implications. There are dozens of scientific articles that address this topic. In all American medicine, there is no better example of the disconnect between what we know and what we do than in the case of women with heart artery disease. While the different symptom patterns in women with abnormal heart arteries are receiving more attention, a failure to translate that best practice treatment makes their lives more dangerous and expensive. The woman who is seen in the emergency room for chest pain or other symptoms suggestive of coronary disease will be evaluated under an outdated scientific paradigm aimed at finding blocked arteries. She will have a stress test done and /or a cardiac catheterization. If these tests are normal, the patient will often be told that the symptoms are not related to her heart. I saw patients who had repeated chest pain and were told that the problem was her esophagus or depression. She was told in effect: “Go home, take your Valium and Prozac, you will be fine!” What she has been told is wrong-too often dead wrong!
Thank you so much for writing this article. The first time I read it I remember thinking, that describes me. I remember telling you that. I had been to the ER twice with chest pain and discharged with no explanation of what caused it. I have failed every stress test I have taken. Even had a heart cath which I was told was perfectly normal. It is so frustrating to be told that your heart is fine when you know you have chest pain for some reason. You start to doubt yourself. Even think well if my heart is "fine", why go to the hospital with chest pain? That can be deadly. Last time I saw my cardiologist he told me I didn't need Aspirin anymore. I do take it along with Vitamin K2. After reading this article and we talked about what was going on with me. I asked about how I could go about getting the MCG test done. Thats when Dr. Shen spoke up and said he could arrange it. These two things probably saved my life. Since then I have been walking 5 or 6 days a week 3-4 miles and have lost 30#. My last MCG test showed improvement and I think the next will as well. I have not had to take Nitroglycerin in over a year as well. Thanks to you and Dr. Shen
What makes this so meaningful is that we are neighbors. If nothing else good ever comes of my writing about chronic disease, your experience makes it all worthwhile. I hope the women reading this will tell their friends and neighbors to read about how heart disease in women is different. They can drive adoption of optimal medical therapy for heart disease in women and the MCG tool to document danger and the benefits of treatment.
Oh wow, I wasn't aware there are such fundamental differences in the pathophysiology of arterial heart disease between men and women. Thank you, very useful information.
Thanks for finding that problem. I replaced it with the link you provided. See the comment from Jean. She is a great example of the effect of recognizing these differences and acting on them.
Oct 16, 2023·edited Oct 16, 2023Liked by William H Bestermann Jr MD
I already read her post. A little information can go a long way. I have already passed this on to my dad and will probably mention it to dozens of people in the future.
It's odd how much information doesn't seem to find its way into clinical practice...
Just 2h ago a friend received a delivery from the pharmacy after telling her gp on the phone that she had hurt her shoulder. She is a woman of 160cm and received written instructions to take 2x150mg Tramadol daily plus diclofenac plus metamizol.
She has never taken metamizol and is home alone. The risks are well known by now...
There are limits to how much we can know and it's no crime to be unaware of something, but if this has been her doc's first line strategy for years, chances are it has already cost someone's life.
There is a documented 17 year gap between new scientific information and its broad use in clinical practice. Even then, there is huge variation in practice.
Your friend's experience is the reason I consistently advocate systematic approaches using vetted protocols and pathways for cardiometabolic and other chronic conditions
I’m a retired pharmacist that has recently read of the importance of K2...not only for our bones (by making sure the calcium we’re taking goes to our bones), but for our hearts (without K2, the calcium ends up in tissues, as in “hardening of the arteries “).
Patients with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease on optimal medical therapy have one fourth as many heart attacks and one fifth as many strokes as patients in usual care. Patients who have had a heart attack on optimal medical therapy are ten times as likely to be alive in 5 years compared with patients on usual care. OMT is made up off agressive targets for blood pressure, sugar control and cholesterol along with smoking cessation and aspirin treatment for high risk patients. The specific meds used for pressure control included losartan or lisinopril, amlodipine and hydrochlorothiazide, statins for cholesterol, and metformin for diabetes. Optimal medical therapy is not available to most Americans today. We must correct that. Then we can test the effect of vitamin K2 added to the program. The key is to prove the impact of added components to optimal medical treatment.
Go to website for Microbiome Labs . Kirnan ( I think he is the scientific director) Has a free webinar on K2 that is excellent.
Not only is there an effect of 50 % decrease in plaque, 50% increase in vascular flexibility , but also 20 % reduction in cancer. K2 is a potent protector . Watch bc it’s very informative !
Bill, another important underlying problem is metabolic heart dysfunctions, as far as I can see, lifestyle optimization measures such as intermittent fasting, fasting, stress reduction, and eating whole food could go a long way to improving cardiovascular health for everyone on or off OMT. We have data to show how much the metabolic dysfunctions reversal impact on the functional recovery.
Your story is a great example of what can happen with treatments and choices on your part that are not really that difficult. I am sure you would agree that the improved health you are enjoying is well worth the effort.
Thank you so much! I finally know the issue at hand and a diagnosis. I felt like I was imagining things. At least I know that it is real. I am also so thankful that I can compare the first test to the next and know how I have improved my overall health.
Thank you so much for writing this article. The first time I read it I remember thinking, that describes me. I remember telling you that. I had been to the ER twice with chest pain and discharged with no explanation of what caused it. I have failed every stress test I have taken. Even had a heart cath which I was told was perfectly normal. It is so frustrating to be told that your heart is fine when you know you have chest pain for some reason. You start to doubt yourself. Even think well if my heart is "fine", why go to the hospital with chest pain? That can be deadly. Last time I saw my cardiologist he told me I didn't need Aspirin anymore. I do take it along with Vitamin K2. After reading this article and we talked about what was going on with me. I asked about how I could go about getting the MCG test done. Thats when Dr. Shen spoke up and said he could arrange it. These two things probably saved my life. Since then I have been walking 5 or 6 days a week 3-4 miles and have lost 30#. My last MCG test showed improvement and I think the next will as well. I have not had to take Nitroglycerin in over a year as well. Thanks to you and Dr. Shen
Thank you for making my day
What makes this so meaningful is that we are neighbors. If nothing else good ever comes of my writing about chronic disease, your experience makes it all worthwhile. I hope the women reading this will tell their friends and neighbors to read about how heart disease in women is different. They can drive adoption of optimal medical therapy for heart disease in women and the MCG tool to document danger and the benefits of treatment.
Oh wow, I wasn't aware there are such fundamental differences in the pathophysiology of arterial heart disease between men and women. Thank you, very useful information.
Alas the link isn't working for me. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/news/press-releases/2006/wise-study-of-women-and-heart-disease-yields-important-findings-on-frequently-undiagnosed-coronary-syndrome
Is it this one? https://www.jacc.org/doi/abs/10.1016/j.jacc.2005.09.023
Thanks for finding that problem. I replaced it with the link you provided. See the comment from Jean. She is a great example of the effect of recognizing these differences and acting on them.
I already read her post. A little information can go a long way. I have already passed this on to my dad and will probably mention it to dozens of people in the future.
It's odd how much information doesn't seem to find its way into clinical practice...
Just 2h ago a friend received a delivery from the pharmacy after telling her gp on the phone that she had hurt her shoulder. She is a woman of 160cm and received written instructions to take 2x150mg Tramadol daily plus diclofenac plus metamizol.
She has never taken metamizol and is home alone. The risks are well known by now...
There are limits to how much we can know and it's no crime to be unaware of something, but if this has been her doc's first line strategy for years, chances are it has already cost someone's life.
There is a documented 17 year gap between new scientific information and its broad use in clinical practice. Even then, there is huge variation in practice.
When you say "documented" and quote a specific figure like that, do you happen to remember the article where this was assessed?
Your friend's experience is the reason I consistently advocate systematic approaches using vetted protocols and pathways for cardiometabolic and other chronic conditions
Sadly probably true .
Thanks for your comment
Is vitamin K2 part of this conversation?
I’m a retired pharmacist that has recently read of the importance of K2...not only for our bones (by making sure the calcium we’re taking goes to our bones), but for our hearts (without K2, the calcium ends up in tissues, as in “hardening of the arteries “).
I’m stunned that I had never heard of this!
Patients with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease on optimal medical therapy have one fourth as many heart attacks and one fifth as many strokes as patients in usual care. Patients who have had a heart attack on optimal medical therapy are ten times as likely to be alive in 5 years compared with patients on usual care. OMT is made up off agressive targets for blood pressure, sugar control and cholesterol along with smoking cessation and aspirin treatment for high risk patients. The specific meds used for pressure control included losartan or lisinopril, amlodipine and hydrochlorothiazide, statins for cholesterol, and metformin for diabetes. Optimal medical therapy is not available to most Americans today. We must correct that. Then we can test the effect of vitamin K2 added to the program. The key is to prove the impact of added components to optimal medical treatment.
Go to website for Microbiome Labs . Kirnan ( I think he is the scientific director) Has a free webinar on K2 that is excellent.
Not only is there an effect of 50 % decrease in plaque, 50% increase in vascular flexibility , but also 20 % reduction in cancer. K2 is a potent protector . Watch bc it’s very informative !
Thank you DrT, this is a fantastic presentation.
It's my pleasure! You and Bari are great neighbors. So happy to have you guys here.
Yup! Correct. However, Bill, you know that there is a better solution to diretly detect ischemia, don't you?https://open.substack.com/pub/mcgdoc/p/an-introduction-to-a-prominent-world?r=q7iae&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
Love this post . Valuable information and so true !
Great to hear from you
Bill, another important underlying problem is metabolic heart dysfunctions, as far as I can see, lifestyle optimization measures such as intermittent fasting, fasting, stress reduction, and eating whole food could go a long way to improving cardiovascular health for everyone on or off OMT. We have data to show how much the metabolic dysfunctions reversal impact on the functional recovery.
Those things are working for me! I am feeling my best! Thank you for your part in my best health!
Your story is a great example of what can happen with treatments and choices on your part that are not really that difficult. I am sure you would agree that the improved health you are enjoying is well worth the effort.
Congratulations! Glad to be of service to clarify your persistent unresolved diagnostic questions and your cardiologists’ confusion.
You and your technology played a major role in helping Jean understand her problem and the pressing need for action
Absolutely! And the hundreds or thousands of others like me who thought something wasn't right but was being told all is ok.
Thank you so much! I finally know the issue at hand and a diagnosis. I felt like I was imagining things. At least I know that it is real. I am also so thankful that I can compare the first test to the next and know how I have improved my overall health.
So important!
Great to hear from you
Thank you so much