September 18, 2025 • 16 mins
Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women worldwide, yet it’s often overlooked until advanced stages. Unlike men, women’s cardiovascular symptoms rarely appear as dramatic chest pain—instead they show up as fatigue, jaw discomfort, or indigestion, symptoms that are too easily dismissed.
In this episode of The Health Pulse, we dive into why women’s heart health has been historically under-researched and underdiagnosed, and how hormonal changes, pregnancy complications, and autoimmune conditions uniquely shape female cardiovascular risk. We reveal how advanced lab testing—from apolipoprotein B and LDL particle counts to inflammatory and insulin resistance markers—uncovers hidden risks that standard cholesterol panels miss.
Most importantly, we highlight how women can use these insights to move from uncertainty to empowerment, taking proactive steps to safeguard their cardiovascular health before problems escalate. This isn’t just about prevention—it’s about building a healthier, stronger future with clarity and confidence.
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Disclaimer: The information provided in this podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. The content discussed is based on research, expert insights, and reputable sources, but it does not replace professional medical consultation, diagnosis, or treatment. We strive to present accurate and up-to-date information, medical research is constantly evolving. Listeners should always verify details with trusted health organizations, before making any health-related decisions. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, such as severe pain, difficulty breathing, or other urgent symptoms, call your local emergency services immediately. By listening to this podcast, you acknowledge that The Health Pulse and its creators are not responsible for any actions taken based on the content of this episode. Your health and well-being should always be guided by the advice of qualified medical professionals.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Welcome to the Health Pulse, your go-to source for
quick, actionable insights onhealth, wellness and diagnostics
.
Whether you're looking tooptimize your well-being or stay
informed about the latest inmedical testing, we've got you
covered.
Join us as we break down keyhealth topics in just minutes.
Let's dive in.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Welcome to the Deep Dive.
You know, for generations heartdisease.
It's had this label, hasn't itA man's disease?
It's sort of seeped into how weeven think about health.
But here's the truth and it'sstark.
Often missed it is absolutelythe leading cause of death among
women worldwide.
Yeah, millions of women areliving completely unaware of
this huge personal risk untilit's really far too late.
(00:49):
And the big question is why?
Well, because the warning signsfor women are frequently well
subtle, atypical.
Think about persistent fatigueyou just brush off as oh, I'm
just tired, right.
Or maybe that sudden shortnessof breath you think is just
stress, or even indigestion thatfeels like everyday heartburn.
These symptoms, they're elusive, easily dismissed, and that
(01:10):
leaves this really dangerous gapin recognition and getting
timely care.
So the question becomes how dowe shine a light into this blind
spot?
How do we arm ourselves, how doyou arm yourself with the
knowledge to face this silentthreat?
This deep dive, it's all aboutuncovering a really powerful
tool.
Advanced lab testing, oftenunderutilized, I should add.
It's our way ofing a reallypowerful tool.
Advanced lab testing, oftenunderutilized, I should add,
it's our way of looking beyondthe surface, you know, giving us
the insights we need to preventand protect.
(01:30):
We're going to really explorewhy heart disease looks so
different in women and howspecific tests can truly empower
you to take control of yourheart health.
Ok, let's, let's unpack this.
There are some soberingstatistics that really frame the
problem.
No-transcript.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
And what's truly fascinating, in a worrying way,
is this persistent gap betweenthe data and the perception.
It's stubbornly wide and itseems to stem mainly from two
big areas how symptoms presentand, frankly, historical biases
in medicine.
You mentioned the symptoms Forwomen, those classic Hollywood
heart attack signs like crushingchest pain.
They're often just not there.
(02:30):
Instead, we tend to see thingslike unusual fatigue, maybe
discomfort in the back, jaw orupper back, lightheadedness,
even nausea.
These are subtle, right and soeasily, sometimes tragically,
dismissed, chalked up to anxiety, a bad night's sleep or just
getting older.
Speaker 2 (02:45):
That's exactly the challenge.
I've heard so many stories fromwomen who felt these things and
were told, sometimes even bydoctors oh, it's just stress, or
it's probably menopause.
And you brought up historicalbiases.
That feels like a reallycrucial piece of this puzzle.
Speaker 3 (02:56):
It really is For decades.
So much of the basic research,even the design of how we screen
for heart health.
It was almost all based on men,male populations.
So this sort of male-centricview meant that women's unique
physiology, our specific riskfactors, they just weren't fully
factored in.
We're talking about hugehormonal shifts puberty,
pregnancy, perimenopause, rightthrough to menopause.
(03:18):
These have profound effects oncardiovascular health.
Or think about pregnancycomplications like preeclampsia,
gestational diabetes orautoimmune conditions, which are
much more common in women.
These things significantlyraise future heart disease risk,
but they were historically kindof sidelined.
It creates this very realhidden burden for women and it
(03:40):
absolutely demands a moreproactive, more personalized
approach than the generalguidelines often give us.
Speaker 2 (03:45):
Okay.
So if waiting for those subtlesymptoms is often too late which
it sounds like it is and if ourstandard ways of screening
might be built on well outdatedmodels, where do we turn?
This is where that advanced labtesting really comes into play,
isn't it?
As the proactive solution?
It's like having these highlytrained detectives inside your
body, uncovering those silentrisk factors way before any
(04:06):
obvious alarms go off.
We're moving beyond just whatyou can see or feel on the
surface.
It's like getting a windowright into the complex stuff
happening deep inside yourcardiovascular system.
Speaker 3 (04:16):
That's a perfect way to put it A window.
If we connect this to thebigger picture, lab tests offer
something really different froma physical exam or even standard
imaging.
Think about it like this Aphysical exam might tell you
your house is still standing.
Imaging might show you if apipe has already burst right.
But these advanced lab tests?
They can tell you the waterpressure is building up or that
(04:37):
rust is accumulating in the keypipe years before it even leaks,
let alone bursts.
They detect risk years beforethe actual disease shows up.
That gives you crucial time tointervene.
And those gender differences wetalked about they're even more
critical here.
For example, women might facehigher risks linked to elevated
triglycerides or specificinflammatory markers compared to
men.
Conditions like PCOS,polycystic ovary syndrome or
(05:00):
thyroid issues, or thosehormonal shifts in menopause,
are all deeply tangled up withheart risk.
So a tailored lab strategymakes sure these nuances are
actually seen and addressed.
It's really about getting thatcritical knowledge before a
crisis hits guiding prevention,guiding treatment.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
Okay, this is where it gets really interesting,
because we need to move waybeyond just that standard
cholesterol check most peopleget.
For women, a trulycomprehensive look means diving
into multiple biomarkers.
Each one tells a different partof the heart health story.
Let's start with lipids,cholesterol and fats, but let's
go deeper.
Most of us know the standardlipid panel, Total cholesterol,
(05:35):
LDL, bad, HDL, goodtriglycerides.
They're, you know, a decentstarting point.
But the advanced lipid testingthat gives you a much more
detailed, granular view.
We're talking about measuringthings like apolipoprotein B or
ApoB, LDL, particle number, LDLPand lipoprotein A, often
written as LPA.
Why are these markers soimportant, especially for women?
Speaker 3 (05:55):
That's a really key question for personalized health
.
Think of it like this,especially for women.
That's a really key questionfor personalized health.
Think of it like this yourstandard LDL cholesterol number
tells you the total weight ofthe bad cholesterol in your
blood, but ApoB and LDL-P theyactually count the number of
potentially damaging particles,like the individual delivery
trucks carrying that cholesterolaround.
And for women, we often see thesituation where the weight, the
(06:16):
LDL-C might look okay, maybeeven good, but the number of
tracts the ApoB or LDL-P isdangerously high.
This suggests a much greaterpotential for plaque to build up
in the arteries.
Even if the conventionalnumbers look fine.
It's a hidden risk.
And then there's LPA.
What's really fascinating andcritical about LPA is it's
almost entirely genetic.
It's like having a specificgenetic blueprint for risk.
(06:37):
Lifestyle changes won't reallybudge your LPA level much, but
knowing if yours is high is socrucial because it's a very
strong predictor of heartattacks and strokes in women,
often totally missed in standardchecks.
It means a different kind ofrisk.
Conversation is needed.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
Wow, that analogy of the trucks versus the total
weight.
That's incredibly helpful.
It really clarifies why justlooking at that one LDL number
might completely miss the realdanger.
Okay so, moving beyond lipids,another silent threat we often
overlook is inflammation.
Right?
What should we be looking forthere?
Speaker 3 (07:09):
Yes, absolutely.
Chronic low-grade inflammationis a major player in developing
atherosclerosis that hardeningand narrowing of the arteries.
A key marker here ishigh-sensitivity C-reactive
protein, or HSCRP.
This test isn't just aboutcatching an infection.
It measures that low-levelsystemic inflammation that can
quietly damage arteries overyears and years.
(07:31):
It's like a slow burn insideyour blood vessels.
Then there's homocysteine.
It's an amino acid.
When levels are too high it'slinked to a higher risk of blood
clots and damage to the bloodvessel walls.
It can literally make yourvessels less flexible, more
prone to injury.
So looking at these togethergives us a really vital snapshot
of the inflammatory state ofyour cardiovascular system.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
It's amazing how many different aspects of our body's
function impact heart health.
It's not just one thing, andspeaking of foundational issues,
let's talk blood sugar andinsulin resistance.
This seems especially relevantfor women, particularly as we
age.
Speaker 3 (08:04):
Absolutely critical.
The connection between bloodsugar control and heart health
is huge.
Now fasting glucose and HbA1,which gives that three-month
average blood sugar picture.
They're standard, they'reessential.
We need those.
But we get even deeper insightby looking at fasting insulin.
This is so important because itdirectly measures insulin
resistance.
So your body might still bemanaging to keep your blood
(08:25):
glucose in the normal range, butif your cells are becoming
resistant to that insulin'smessage, your pancreas has to
work overtime, pumping out moreand more insulin to compensate
this state, this compensatoryhigh insulin.
That is a major driver ofmetabolic syndrome and it
significantly ramps up heartdisease risk in women,
especially postmenopause.
It often happens long beforeyour blood sugar levels actually
(08:48):
start looking high on standardtests.
It's a very early warning signthat often gets missed.
Speaker 2 (08:52):
That's a really powerful distinction knowing
your body is already struggling,even if the numbers look okay
for now.
And finally, we absolutelycannot ignore the hormones, this
complex interplay.
It has to be uniquely vital forwomen's heart health, right,
unequivocally hormonal balanceis just fundamental for women's
cardiovascular well-being.
Speaker 3 (09:11):
Imbalances can have a massive impact.
First, thyroid function,measured by TSH, free T4 and
free T3, it's absolutely vital.
Hypothyroidism and underactivethyroid, for instance, can
directly push up LDL,cholesterol and triglycerides.
That seriously increasescardiovascular risk and
sometimes the only symptoms arefeeling generally sluggish,
easily dismissed again.
(09:32):
And then, yes, the sex hormonesestrogen and progesterone.
They exert a huge influence onhow healthy our blood vessels
are.
Estrogen particularly hasprotective effects.
It helps keep vessels flexibleand healthy.
So as women go throughperimenopause and then menopause
and those estrogen levelsfluctuate and eventually drop
significantly, that protectiveshield gets thinner and
cardiovascular risk can reallyaccelerate quite dramatically
(09:53):
during that time.
Testing these hormone levelsgives crucial context.
It allows for targetedstrategies to support vascular
health through these major lifetransitions.
Speaker 2 (10:01):
It's becoming so clear listening to you.
These different tests, theyaren't just isolated data points
, are they?
They really connect the dots,they paint a whole picture, a
comprehensive cardiovascularprofile.
Speaker 3 (10:12):
Precisely, that's exactly it.
When you look at them together,they create this complete
mosaic of a woman's uniquecardiovascular landscape.
They highlight not just theimmediate risks, but also those
longer-term trends, theunderlying physiological
stresses that might be brewing.
And this holistic view giveswomen this incredible
opportunity the chance to stepin before significant, maybe
(10:33):
even irreversible, damage occurs.
It's truly about empowering youwith the foresight to make
informed health decisionsproactively.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
And this leads us nicely into a different way of
thinking about health thefunctional and preventative
medicine perspective.
You know, many conventionalscreenings might give you a
normal result, a green light,and that feels reassuring, right
.
But functional medicine asks aslightly different, maybe deeper
question what is optimal forlong-term health, for vitality?
(11:02):
Because for many women resultsthat are technically within
normal range on a lab reportmight still be flashing some
early warning lights thatconventional approaches often
miss.
Let me give you a commonexample.
A woman might have an LDLcholesterol level that's, you
know, technically fine on herstandard report.
She's told everything looksgood.
But then maybe an advancedlipid test shows she has
(11:22):
elevated APOB or LPA, thosetruck count numbers we discussed
, which we now know are stronglylinked to future heart problems
, even with that normal LDLweight.
Or maybe her HbA1c is in thathigh normal zone Not quite
prediabetes yet, but it's aclear signal, a signal of early
insulin resistance that could bequietly damaging her arteries
over time.
This isn't about trying toscare people, is it?
(11:44):
It's about being fully informed.
Speaker 4 (11:45):
Exactly right.
Not about alarmism.
It's about empowerment throughknowledge.
What's really transformativeabout this functional or
preventative view is the broaderperspective.
It's not just about waiting todetect disease.
It's about actively optimizinghealth.
It emphasizes looking at thewhole system, that comprehensive
testing, instead of relying onmaybe one or two isolated
(12:06):
numbers.
It absolutely demandspersonalized interpretation,
recognizing that women's heartrisks are unique and need that
nuanced understanding.
And, crucially, it'sfundamentally rooted in
proactive prevention,identifying those subtle trends,
those imbalances, before theysnowball into actual disease.
This approach empowers women,not just to you know track
numbers, but to act early,decisively.
(12:27):
With this kind of objectivedata, you can make really
targeted choices nutrition,lifestyle, tweets, maybe
specific medical support, longbefore a crisis even thinks
about developing it puts thepower firmly back in your hands.
Speaker 2 (12:37):
So let's bring it back to you, our listener.
Why should you care about allthese maybe unfamiliar tests?
Because early detection isn'tjust some medical phrase.
It's the actual bridge betweenpreventing a serious problem and
potentially facing alife-altering crisis.
For women who, as we'vediscussed so often, face delays
in recognizing heart disease,understanding these lab markers
can be profoundly life-changing.
(12:58):
By identifying your risk beforeany symptoms even show up, you
gain this incredible opportunityto actually prevent progression
.
We're talking about stepping inbefore arteries harden
significantly, before blockagesform, before a heart attack or
stroke becomes your reality.
This objective knowledge alsoempowers you to make
personalized, precise choicesabout your lifestyle, about
potential treatments.
(13:19):
It gives you agency and,critically, it helps avoid
misdiagnosis.
Remember those subtle,frustrating symptoms like
fatigue or shortness of breath.
They might be easily dismissed,but having objective biomarker
data that provides undeniableevidence, evidence that prompts
timely, appropriate medical care, it can save years of
uncertainty or potentially muchworse.
Ultimately, understanding yourown cardiovascular profile
(13:41):
empowers your health decisions.
It shifts things from maybefear or uncertainty into
concrete action.
It gives you back a sense ofcontrol over your health
decisions.
It shifts things from maybefear or uncertainty into
concrete action.
It gives you back a sense ofcontrol over your health future.
Speaker 3 (13:51):
The core message really couldn't be clearer the
earlier these unique heartdisease risks are identified in
women, the significantly greaterthe chance, the opportunity to
prevent severe outcomes, thingslike heart attacks, strokes and
those debilitating long-termcomplications.
It is quite literally seizingthe chance to reroute your
health path towards a longer,healthier life.
Speaker 2 (14:12):
So, to wrap up our deep dive, today, heart disease
is still the number one killerof women.
That hasn't changed Yet.
Paradoxically, it's also one ofthe most preventable conditions
we face.
The huge challenge lies in itsoften silent progression and the
fact that women's atypicalsymptoms get missed or dismissed
so frequently.
Advanced lab testing reallybridges this dangerous gap.
(14:33):
It exposes those hidden risks,giving us those crucial early
warnings long before a crisismight ever happen.
So what does all this reallymean for you?
Well, by embracingcomprehensive cardiovascular
testing, women gain so much morethan just numbers on a piece of
paper.
You gain clarity, real, deepclarity, the undeniable ability
to make truly informed choicesfor yourself, and the genuine
(14:55):
power to take proactive,decisive steps towards
protecting your most vital organ, your heart.
Whether it's monitoring thoseadvanced cholesterol particles,
checking for underlyinginflammation, understanding your
hormones, this testingtransforms uncertainty into
meaningful, actionable knowledge, and knowledge truly is the
ultimate form of prevention.
Speaker 3 (15:11):
And maybe this raises an important final question for
you, our listener, to reallyconsider what would taking
comprehensive control of yourcardiovascular profile truly
mean for your long-termconfidence, for your energy
levels, for your overall senseof vitality, day-to-day thinking
about these crucial nuances inwomen's heart health and
actively seeking out thisempowering knowledge.
(15:33):
It isn't just about trying toavoid getting sick.
It's about actively cultivatinga future where you can live
with greater strength, with morepeace of mind and with
unwavering confidence in yourown health journey mind, and
with unwavering confidence inyour own health journey.
Speaker 1 (15:49):
Thanks for tuning into the Health Pulse.
If you found this episodehelpful, don't forget to
subscribe and share it withsomeone who might benefit.
For more health insights anddiagnostics, visit us online at
wwwquicklabmobilecom.
Stay informed, stay healthy andwe'll catch you in the next
episode.
Welcome to the Health Pulse, your go-to source for
quick, actionable insights onhealth, wellness and diagnostics
.
Whether you're looking tooptimize your well-being or stay
informed about the latest inmedical testing, we've got you
covered.
Join us as we break down keyhealth topics in just minutes.
Let's dive in.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Welcome to the Deep Dive.
You know, for generations heartdisease.
It's had this label, hasn't itA man's disease?
It's sort of seeped into how weeven think about health.
But here's the truth and it'sstark.
Often missed it is absolutelythe leading cause of death among
women worldwide.
Yeah, millions of women areliving completely unaware of
this huge personal risk untilit's really far too late.
(00:49):
And the big question is why?
Well, because the warning signsfor women are frequently well
subtle, atypical.
Think about persistent fatigueyou just brush off as oh, I'm
just tired, right.
Or maybe that sudden shortnessof breath you think is just
stress, or even indigestion thatfeels like everyday heartburn.
These symptoms, they're elusive, easily dismissed, and that
(01:10):
leaves this really dangerous gapin recognition and getting
timely care.
So the question becomes how dowe shine a light into this blind
spot?
How do we arm ourselves, how doyou arm yourself with the
knowledge to face this silentthreat?
This deep dive, it's all aboutuncovering a really powerful
tool.
Advanced lab testing, oftenunderutilized, I should add.
It's our way ofing a reallypowerful tool.
Advanced lab testing, oftenunderutilized, I should add,
it's our way of looking beyondthe surface, you know, giving us
the insights we need to preventand protect.
(01:30):
We're going to really explorewhy heart disease looks so
different in women and howspecific tests can truly empower
you to take control of yourheart health.
Ok, let's, let's unpack this.
There are some soberingstatistics that really frame the
problem.
No-transcript.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
And what's truly fascinating, in a worrying way,
is this persistent gap betweenthe data and the perception.
It's stubbornly wide and itseems to stem mainly from two
big areas how symptoms presentand, frankly, historical biases
in medicine.
You mentioned the symptoms Forwomen, those classic Hollywood
heart attack signs like crushingchest pain.
They're often just not there.
(02:30):
Instead, we tend to see thingslike unusual fatigue, maybe
discomfort in the back, jaw orupper back, lightheadedness,
even nausea.
These are subtle, right and soeasily, sometimes tragically,
dismissed, chalked up to anxiety, a bad night's sleep or just
getting older.
Speaker 2 (02:45):
That's exactly the challenge.
I've heard so many stories fromwomen who felt these things and
were told, sometimes even bydoctors oh, it's just stress, or
it's probably menopause.
And you brought up historicalbiases.
That feels like a reallycrucial piece of this puzzle.
Speaker 3 (02:56):
It really is For decades.
So much of the basic research,even the design of how we screen
for heart health.
It was almost all based on men,male populations.
So this sort of male-centricview meant that women's unique
physiology, our specific riskfactors, they just weren't fully
factored in.
We're talking about hugehormonal shifts puberty,
pregnancy, perimenopause, rightthrough to menopause.
(03:18):
These have profound effects oncardiovascular health.
Or think about pregnancycomplications like preeclampsia,
gestational diabetes orautoimmune conditions, which are
much more common in women.
These things significantlyraise future heart disease risk,
but they were historically kindof sidelined.
It creates this very realhidden burden for women and it
(03:40):
absolutely demands a moreproactive, more personalized
approach than the generalguidelines often give us.
Speaker 2 (03:45):
Okay.
So if waiting for those subtlesymptoms is often too late which
it sounds like it is and if ourstandard ways of screening
might be built on well outdatedmodels, where do we turn?
This is where that advanced labtesting really comes into play,
isn't it?
As the proactive solution?
It's like having these highlytrained detectives inside your
body, uncovering those silentrisk factors way before any
(04:06):
obvious alarms go off.
We're moving beyond just whatyou can see or feel on the
surface.
It's like getting a windowright into the complex stuff
happening deep inside yourcardiovascular system.
Speaker 3 (04:16):
That's a perfect way to put it A window.
If we connect this to thebigger picture, lab tests offer
something really different froma physical exam or even standard
imaging.
Think about it like this Aphysical exam might tell you
your house is still standing.
Imaging might show you if apipe has already burst right.
But these advanced lab tests?
They can tell you the waterpressure is building up or that
(04:37):
rust is accumulating in the keypipe years before it even leaks,
let alone bursts.
They detect risk years beforethe actual disease shows up.
That gives you crucial time tointervene.
And those gender differences wetalked about they're even more
critical here.
For example, women might facehigher risks linked to elevated
triglycerides or specificinflammatory markers compared to
men.
Conditions like PCOS,polycystic ovary syndrome or
(05:00):
thyroid issues, or thosehormonal shifts in menopause,
are all deeply tangled up withheart risk.
So a tailored lab strategymakes sure these nuances are
actually seen and addressed.
It's really about getting thatcritical knowledge before a
crisis hits guiding prevention,guiding treatment.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
Okay, this is where it gets really interesting,
because we need to move waybeyond just that standard
cholesterol check most peopleget.
For women, a trulycomprehensive look means diving
into multiple biomarkers.
Each one tells a different partof the heart health story.
Let's start with lipids,cholesterol and fats, but let's
go deeper.
Most of us know the standardlipid panel, Total cholesterol,
(05:35):
LDL, bad, HDL, goodtriglycerides.
They're, you know, a decentstarting point.
But the advanced lipid testingthat gives you a much more
detailed, granular view.
We're talking about measuringthings like apolipoprotein B or
ApoB, LDL, particle number, LDLPand lipoprotein A, often
written as LPA.
Why are these markers soimportant, especially for women?
Speaker 3 (05:55):
That's a really key question for personalized health
.
Think of it like this,especially for women.
That's a really key questionfor personalized health.
Think of it like this yourstandard LDL cholesterol number
tells you the total weight ofthe bad cholesterol in your
blood, but ApoB and LDL-P theyactually count the number of
potentially damaging particles,like the individual delivery
trucks carrying that cholesterolaround.
And for women, we often see thesituation where the weight, the
(06:16):
LDL-C might look okay, maybeeven good, but the number of
tracts the ApoB or LDL-P isdangerously high.
This suggests a much greaterpotential for plaque to build up
in the arteries.
Even if the conventionalnumbers look fine.
It's a hidden risk.
And then there's LPA.
What's really fascinating andcritical about LPA is it's
almost entirely genetic.
It's like having a specificgenetic blueprint for risk.
(06:37):
Lifestyle changes won't reallybudge your LPA level much, but
knowing if yours is high is socrucial because it's a very
strong predictor of heartattacks and strokes in women,
often totally missed in standardchecks.
It means a different kind ofrisk.
Conversation is needed.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
Wow, that analogy of the trucks versus the total
weight.
That's incredibly helpful.
It really clarifies why justlooking at that one LDL number
might completely miss the realdanger.
Okay so, moving beyond lipids,another silent threat we often
overlook is inflammation.
Right?
What should we be looking forthere?
Speaker 3 (07:09):
Yes, absolutely.
Chronic low-grade inflammationis a major player in developing
atherosclerosis that hardeningand narrowing of the arteries.
A key marker here ishigh-sensitivity C-reactive
protein, or HSCRP.
This test isn't just aboutcatching an infection.
It measures that low-levelsystemic inflammation that can
quietly damage arteries overyears and years.
(07:31):
It's like a slow burn insideyour blood vessels.
Then there's homocysteine.
It's an amino acid.
When levels are too high it'slinked to a higher risk of blood
clots and damage to the bloodvessel walls.
It can literally make yourvessels less flexible, more
prone to injury.
So looking at these togethergives us a really vital snapshot
of the inflammatory state ofyour cardiovascular system.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
It's amazing how many different aspects of our body's
function impact heart health.
It's not just one thing, andspeaking of foundational issues,
let's talk blood sugar andinsulin resistance.
This seems especially relevantfor women, particularly as we
age.
Speaker 3 (08:04):
Absolutely critical.
The connection between bloodsugar control and heart health
is huge.
Now fasting glucose and HbA1,which gives that three-month
average blood sugar picture.
They're standard, they'reessential.
We need those.
But we get even deeper insightby looking at fasting insulin.
This is so important because itdirectly measures insulin
resistance.
So your body might still bemanaging to keep your blood
(08:25):
glucose in the normal range, butif your cells are becoming
resistant to that insulin'smessage, your pancreas has to
work overtime, pumping out moreand more insulin to compensate
this state, this compensatoryhigh insulin.
That is a major driver ofmetabolic syndrome and it
significantly ramps up heartdisease risk in women,
especially postmenopause.
It often happens long beforeyour blood sugar levels actually
(08:48):
start looking high on standardtests.
It's a very early warning signthat often gets missed.
Speaker 2 (08:52):
That's a really powerful distinction knowing
your body is already struggling,even if the numbers look okay
for now.
And finally, we absolutelycannot ignore the hormones, this
complex interplay.
It has to be uniquely vital forwomen's heart health, right,
unequivocally hormonal balanceis just fundamental for women's
cardiovascular well-being.
Speaker 3 (09:11):
Imbalances can have a massive impact.
First, thyroid function,measured by TSH, free T4 and
free T3, it's absolutely vital.
Hypothyroidism and underactivethyroid, for instance, can
directly push up LDL,cholesterol and triglycerides.
That seriously increasescardiovascular risk and
sometimes the only symptoms arefeeling generally sluggish,
easily dismissed again.
(09:32):
And then, yes, the sex hormonesestrogen and progesterone.
They exert a huge influence onhow healthy our blood vessels
are.
Estrogen particularly hasprotective effects.
It helps keep vessels flexibleand healthy.
So as women go throughperimenopause and then menopause
and those estrogen levelsfluctuate and eventually drop
significantly, that protectiveshield gets thinner and
cardiovascular risk can reallyaccelerate quite dramatically
(09:53):
during that time.
Testing these hormone levelsgives crucial context.
It allows for targetedstrategies to support vascular
health through these major lifetransitions.
Speaker 2 (10:01):
It's becoming so clear listening to you.
These different tests, theyaren't just isolated data points
, are they?
They really connect the dots,they paint a whole picture, a
comprehensive cardiovascularprofile.
Speaker 3 (10:12):
Precisely, that's exactly it.
When you look at them together,they create this complete
mosaic of a woman's uniquecardiovascular landscape.
They highlight not just theimmediate risks, but also those
longer-term trends, theunderlying physiological
stresses that might be brewing.
And this holistic view giveswomen this incredible
opportunity the chance to stepin before significant, maybe
(10:33):
even irreversible, damage occurs.
It's truly about empowering youwith the foresight to make
informed health decisionsproactively.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
And this leads us nicely into a different way of
thinking about health thefunctional and preventative
medicine perspective.
You know, many conventionalscreenings might give you a
normal result, a green light,and that feels reassuring, right
.
But functional medicine asks aslightly different, maybe deeper
question what is optimal forlong-term health, for vitality?
(11:02):
Because for many women resultsthat are technically within
normal range on a lab reportmight still be flashing some
early warning lights thatconventional approaches often
miss.
Let me give you a commonexample.
A woman might have an LDLcholesterol level that's, you
know, technically fine on herstandard report.
She's told everything looksgood.
But then maybe an advancedlipid test shows she has
(11:22):
elevated APOB or LPA, thosetruck count numbers we discussed
, which we now know are stronglylinked to future heart problems
, even with that normal LDLweight.
Or maybe her HbA1c is in thathigh normal zone Not quite
prediabetes yet, but it's aclear signal, a signal of early
insulin resistance that could bequietly damaging her arteries
over time.
This isn't about trying toscare people, is it?
(11:44):
It's about being fully informed.
Speaker 4 (11:45):
Exactly right.
Not about alarmism.
It's about empowerment throughknowledge.
What's really transformativeabout this functional or
preventative view is the broaderperspective.
It's not just about waiting todetect disease.
It's about actively optimizinghealth.
It emphasizes looking at thewhole system, that comprehensive
testing, instead of relying onmaybe one or two isolated
(12:06):
numbers.
It absolutely demandspersonalized interpretation,
recognizing that women's heartrisks are unique and need that
nuanced understanding.
And, crucially, it'sfundamentally rooted in
proactive prevention,identifying those subtle trends,
those imbalances, before theysnowball into actual disease.
This approach empowers women,not just to you know track
numbers, but to act early,decisively.
(12:27):
With this kind of objectivedata, you can make really
targeted choices nutrition,lifestyle, tweets, maybe
specific medical support, longbefore a crisis even thinks
about developing it puts thepower firmly back in your hands.
Speaker 2 (12:37):
So let's bring it back to you, our listener.
Why should you care about allthese maybe unfamiliar tests?
Because early detection isn'tjust some medical phrase.
It's the actual bridge betweenpreventing a serious problem and
potentially facing alife-altering crisis.
For women who, as we'vediscussed so often, face delays
in recognizing heart disease,understanding these lab markers
can be profoundly life-changing.
(12:58):
By identifying your risk beforeany symptoms even show up, you
gain this incredible opportunityto actually prevent progression
.
We're talking about stepping inbefore arteries harden
significantly, before blockagesform, before a heart attack or
stroke becomes your reality.
This objective knowledge alsoempowers you to make
personalized, precise choicesabout your lifestyle, about
potential treatments.
(13:19):
It gives you agency and,critically, it helps avoid
misdiagnosis.
Remember those subtle,frustrating symptoms like
fatigue or shortness of breath.
They might be easily dismissed,but having objective biomarker
data that provides undeniableevidence, evidence that prompts
timely, appropriate medical care, it can save years of
uncertainty or potentially muchworse.
Ultimately, understanding yourown cardiovascular profile
(13:41):
empowers your health decisions.
It shifts things from maybefear or uncertainty into
concrete action.
It gives you back a sense ofcontrol over your health
decisions.
It shifts things from maybefear or uncertainty into
concrete action.
It gives you back a sense ofcontrol over your health future.
Speaker 3 (13:51):
The core message really couldn't be clearer the
earlier these unique heartdisease risks are identified in
women, the significantly greaterthe chance, the opportunity to
prevent severe outcomes, thingslike heart attacks, strokes and
those debilitating long-termcomplications.
It is quite literally seizingthe chance to reroute your
health path towards a longer,healthier life.
Speaker 2 (14:12):
So, to wrap up our deep dive, today, heart disease
is still the number one killerof women.
That hasn't changed Yet.
Paradoxically, it's also one ofthe most preventable conditions
we face.
The huge challenge lies in itsoften silent progression and the
fact that women's atypicalsymptoms get missed or dismissed
so frequently.
Advanced lab testing reallybridges this dangerous gap.
(14:33):
It exposes those hidden risks,giving us those crucial early
warnings long before a crisismight ever happen.
So what does all this reallymean for you?
Well, by embracingcomprehensive cardiovascular
testing, women gain so much morethan just numbers on a piece of
paper.
You gain clarity, real, deepclarity, the undeniable ability
to make truly informed choicesfor yourself, and the genuine
(14:55):
power to take proactive,decisive steps towards
protecting your most vital organ, your heart.
Whether it's monitoring thoseadvanced cholesterol particles,
checking for underlyinginflammation, understanding your
hormones, this testingtransforms uncertainty into
meaningful, actionable knowledge, and knowledge truly is the
ultimate form of prevention.
Speaker 3 (15:11):
And maybe this raises an important final question for
you, our listener, to reallyconsider what would taking
comprehensive control of yourcardiovascular profile truly
mean for your long-termconfidence, for your energy
levels, for your overall senseof vitality, day-to-day thinking
about these crucial nuances inwomen's heart health and
actively seeking out thisempowering knowledge.
(15:33):
It isn't just about trying toavoid getting sick.
It's about actively cultivatinga future where you can live
with greater strength, with morepeace of mind and with
unwavering confidence in yourown health journey mind, and
with unwavering confidence inyour own health journey.
Speaker 1 (15:49):
Thanks for tuning into the Health Pulse.
If you found this episodehelpful, don't forget to
subscribe and share it withsomeone who might benefit.
For more health insights anddiagnostics, visit us online at
wwwquicklabmobilecom.
Stay informed, stay healthy andwe'll catch you in the next
episode.
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