The Heart and Medicine: Exploring the Interconnectedness of Cardiometabolic-related Concerns Through a Systems Biology Approach.

Patients do not just wake up one morning with cardiac disease. Instead there is an extended preclinical phase during which lifestyle choices determine outcome. Recent advances in our understanding of oxidative stress, endocrine signaling, immune/inflammatory balance, and energy production illuminate opportunities for efficacious intervention.

Statin-induced Myopathy.

Heart disease (HD) is the number one killer in the United States.(1) In 2006, the direct and indirect costs associated with cardiovascular disease in the United States were estimated at 400 billion dollars.(2) Statin therapy for cholesterol reduction is a mainstay intervention for cardiovascular disease (CVD) as reflected in atorvastatin's status as the number one prescribed medication in the United States.

Hypertension.

Hypertension is responsible for roughly one-in-six adult deaths annually in the United States and is associated with five of the top nine causes of death.(1) Ten trillion dollars is the estimated annual cost worldwide of the direct and indirect effects of hypertension.(2,3) In the U.

A case report of a 53-year-old female with rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis: focus on lab testing and CAM therapies.

A 53-year-old female presented with rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis. Additional conditions and symptoms included Raynaud syndrome, fatigue, irritable bowel syndrome associated constipation (IBS-C), gastroesophageal reflux (GERD), menopausal symptoms, chronic urinary tract and upper respiratory infections, and weight gain. She was taking Arthrotec (a combination of diclofenac and misoprostol - for pain and inflammation), Fosamax Plus D (alendronate with vitamin D3 - recently prescribed because of low bone density), and Catapres (clonidine - for menopausal symptoms).