Welcome to my podcast. I am Doctor Warrick Bishop, and I want to help you to live as well as possible for as long as possible. I’m a practising cardiologist, best-selling author, keynote speaker, and the creator of The Healthy Heart Network. I have over 20 years as a specialist cardiologist and a private practice of over 10,000 patients.

Podcast Summary

Dr. Warrick Bishop is a practicing cardiologist and passionate health educator who hosts this podcast to help patients understand their heart health through education. In this episode, Dr. Bishop explores often-overlooked cardiovascular risk factors beyond the standard ones like cholesterol, smoking, and blood pressure. He discusses emerging research and practical strategies for identifying and managing these hidden risks to prevent heart disease.

Key Takeaways:

• Lipoprotein(a) is a dangerous cholesterol subfraction with a protein "tail" that increases inflammation and clot formation risk, disproportionately affecting those with early heart attacks and running in families.

• Testing for lipoprotein(a) currently costs $50-60 out-of-pocket, but Medicare rebates are expected within a few years as new therapeutic interventions targeting this risk factor become available.

• Inflammation plays a significant role in coronary artery disease, with major trials (JUPITER and CANTOS) demonstrating its impact, though lowering cholesterol remains the primary therapeutic strategy.

• Colchicine, a gout medication, has shown promise in clinical trials for reducing heart attack risk, representing a potentially affordable anti-inflammatory approach for cardiac patients.

• Obstructive sleep apnea drives inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, and sympathetic nervous system activation, leading to high blood pressure and atrial fibrillation.

• Sleep apnea can be initially screened through overnight oxygen saturation tests, and partners' observations about snoring and interrupted breathing are valuable diagnostic clues.

• Socioeconomic and environmental disparities significantly affect cardiovascular health outcomes, with disadvantaged populations having fewer resources to manage standard risk factors.

• Diet is rarely included in standard cardiovascular risk calculators despite strong evidence that extra virgin olive oil, nuts, and whole foods reduce heart disease risk.

• Processed meats, sugar, salt, and trans fats should be minimized, while grass-fed protein sources, fruits, vegetables, and nuts form the basis of a heart-healthy diet.