Why is arterial elasticity so important?
Healthy arteries are flexible and elastic - they expand and briefly store blood from each heart beat thereby helping the heart move blood to all areas in your body. Unhealthy or diseased arteries are often stiff or hardened – placing extra strain on the heart and the artery wall which can result in heart attacks, strokes, heart failure, kidney failure and/or sudden death. These abnormalities of the arteries can occur years or decades before you start experiencing symptoms. The sooner cardiovascular disease is identified, the sooner you can do something about it.

Who should be screened for blood vessel disease?
Since cardiovascular disease is often silent, it is important for everyone between the ages of 15 and 65 to be screened and establish a baseline evaluation. If you are between the ages of 15 and 65 and you have a family history of cardiovascular disease or diabetes, and/or you have risk factors for cardiovascular disease such as smoking, diabetes, obesity, high cholesterol, lack of regular exercise, it is very important that you establish a baseline evaluation of your artery elasticity as soon as possible. This assessment can provide you with some indication of the risk for cardiovascular disease that you may have inherited.

Does medication or smoking have an impact on arterial elasticity?
Yes. Just like any other physiologic tests, such as measuring blood pressure, arterial elasticity may vary throughout the day and will be influenced to some degree by stress, drugs and other environmental influences (for example, drinking beverages with caffeine, smoking tobacco products or eating high-fat meals). In general, however, any variability around an arterial elasticity value will still identify the individual’s risk.

How often should I get a CVProfile™ test?
If you are at a low risk level, a CVProfile™ test every 2-3 years is sufficient. If your risk level is moderate to high, however, you should consider a CVProfile™ test annually or more depending on the risk reduction program you and your doctor develop to improve your health.

Can I improve my elasticity values?
Yes. The sooner cardiovascular disease risk is identified, the sooner you and your physician can do something about it. A risk reduction/treatment plan that can improve the elasticity of your arteries and your general health may consist of a low-fat diet, increased exercise, quitting smoking, decreasing alcohol consumption, losing weight or possibly taking medication. A disease prevention plan may stop and possibly reverse the progressive stiffening of arteries that often precedes heart attacks and strokes.

Do elasticity values vary between men and women?
Overall, women have less elasticity than men, however, cardiovascular disease occurs at all ages in both men and women.

How much can my elasticity values change between tests?
Your elasticity values may change by 20%. These changes can result from stress, drugs and other environmental influences (for example, drinking beverages with caffeine, smoking tobacco products or eating high-fat meals). In general, however, any variability around an arterial elasticity value will still identify the individual’s risk.

What do I do if my elasticity values show that I am at moderate or high risk?
If you are at high risk, you should make an appointment to see your physician so that he/she can conduct further testing to determine the root cause(s) or your risk. You may have high cholesterol or other identifiable issues that can be treated. Your physician can help to develop a risk reduction/treatment plan that can improve the elasticity of your arteries and your general health.

Is diabetes a cardiovascular disease?
Diabetes actually causes vascular damage and thus puts diabetic patients at an increased risk of vascular disease and coronary heart disease. Vascular disease is accelerated in diabetic patients and accounts for approximately 80% of all deaths in diabetics.

How can I get more information on arterial elasticity?
Information on arterial elasticity may be obtained here:  Science Behind the Device