Common Heart Procedure Linked to Death, Fraud

Dear Living Well Daily Reader,

“Yep, the doc says I need two more of those bad boys. And I had three last year… hope this is it… ”

Last week, when catching up with a former colleague, Jerry, he told me the he would be undergoing heart surgery in a few days.

Jerry is a 68-year-old emergency room doctor who’s spent the last five years in and out of the hospital with heart issues. He’s been diagnosed with coronary heart disease, high blood pressure (likely caused by the coronary heart disease) and high cholesterol. Plus, he’s had two heart attacks.

Jerry’s tried it all: statins, exercise, dietary changes, and has had three stents put in his arteries.

Next up, he will have two more stents put in his heart at his cardiologist’s urging.

What Jerry didn’t realize is that if he were taking a specific vitamin, his risk of coronary artery disease would decrease. We will discuss this heart-protective vitamin in just a bit.

First, let’s talk about stents, why they are dangerous and why Jerry’s cardiologist might be so keen to recommend them (hint: It involves money).

--Dangerous Profits

Stents are used in severe cases of coronary artery disease. They’re tiny implants used to widen arteries blocked with plaques made of fats and calcium. These deposits cause arterial stiffness, decrease blood flow and can lead to deadly heart attacks and strokes.

Artery

While stents can be effective at increasing blood flow to the heart, they require invasive surgery, are often implanted incorrectly and can lead to dangerous blood clots, blockages from scar tissue and even death. In fact, the overuse of stents causes death in at least 773 heart disease patients annually.

But what’s even worse — many times, stents are used in patients that truly don’t need them. According to David Brown, a cardiologist at Stony Brook University School of Medicine, two out of three elective stents are unnecessary.

So why would a cardiologist recommended such a dangerous and often unnecessary procedure?

Money.

In the last decade, cardiac stents have cost Americans over $110 billion.

To put this number in perspective, cardiologists can charge around $250 an hour to talk to a patient about stents and more than $1,000 to actually put one in. That might not sound like a crazy amount, but that can quickly add up if you look at the number of folks getting stents.

It’s estimated that over half of the 1.4 million stent procedures done in the U.S were on patients in stable condition. This means over 700,000 stents were used unnecessarily on healthy patients.

To be clear here, the other 700,000 stents implanted were needed. There are some cases in which a stent is the only option, though it’s only about half of the time it’s recommended.

If you ask me, this sound likes fraud — many healthy people are paying for a procedure they absolutely don’t need.

Fortunately, recent research shows there is a natural way to keep plaque out of your arteries, and it doesn’t require invasive surgery or cost you thousands of dollars.

--Say Goodbye to Stents With K2

It’s vitamin K2, and it’s proving to be an essential part of heart health.

You may have heard in the past that vitamin K is good for your heart, but what you may not know is it’s specifically vitamin K2 that’s heart protective

A recent study examined the heart health powers of vitamin K1, which is found in leafy greens and accounts for 90 percent of the vitamin K in the typical Western diet, against vitamin K2, which is found in meat and dairy.

After following 33,289 participants for almost 17 years, the researchers assessed the participants’ dietary intake of both vitamin K1 and vitamin K2. The scientists then correlated the data with the risk of coronary heart disease.

And what they found was astonishing…

Folks who had the highest intakes of vitamin K2 decreased their risk of dying from coronary heart disease by 14 percent!

When you consider how low the average intake of this heart-healthy vitamin is, it makes you wonder how much larger this percentage could be with supplementation or a diet rich in vitamin K2.

Vitamin K2 is so essential to heart health because it helps to draw artery-hardening calcium away from the heart and into the bones. This means taking vitamin K2 not only helps protect your arteries from stiffening mineral plaques, but also helps strengthen your bones.

But vitamin K2 works harder when taken with vitamin D3. You see, D3 helps signal your bones to absorb calcium and grow new bone tissue. So if you’re going to supplement with vitamin K2, be sure you’re also taking vitamin D3 as well. This combination will help keep your arteries clean as a whistle and give your bones steel-like strength.

Not to mention it may keep you from getting a costly, dangerous stent.

Live well,

Natalie Moore
Managing editor, Living Well Daily


Sources

[1] What Is a Stent?

[2] Deaths Linked to Cardiac Stents Rise as Overuse Seen

[3] Grass Fed Beef Nutrition

Natalie Moore

Written By Natalie Moore

Natalie Moore is a dedicated health researcher with a passion for finding healthy, natural, and science-based solutions. After a decade of direct healthcare experience in western and natural medicine, she was involved in public health research before joining Living Well Daily.

View More Free Articles

Get Intermittent Fasting Benefits Without Going Hungry

Intermittent fasting, which involves cycling between eating and fasting periods, is effective. There’s plenty of evidence for that. It’s not just weight loss, either. Intermittent fasting has significant benefits for metabolic health. However, many people find fasting difficult to stick to—and others can’t do it at all due to medical issues—so they miss out on...

Read This

Just Diagnosed with Hypertension? —6 Things to Do Next

You’ve been diagnosed with high blood pressure—now what? First, take a breath. You’re not alone—over 30 percent of adults worldwide have hypertension. That makes it one of the most common health issues… and a top cause of preventable deaths. The good news is that, unlike some conditions that can leave you feeling helpless, high blood...

Read This

Brain Games Are USELESS—Do These 5 Things Instead

I’ve seen a lot of lists lately claiming to have the secrets that keep your brain from turning into mush as you age. They typically advise activities such as doing crosswords, learning Spanish, or taking up the accordion. Challenging your mind with new learning experiences is definitely a great way to keep your brain engaged...

Read This

This $5 Fix REVERSES Cellular Aging in Just 6 Months

You take your vitamins, eat your vegetables, and feel healthy—so your nutrition is covered… right? Well, new research suggests that even health-conscious older adults may be missing crucial nutrients that keep their cells functioning like those of younger people. The trouble is that as we age, our bodies become less efficient at absorbing nutrients from...

Read This

Mailbag: Doctors Get Bone Health WRONG—Here's What Really Works

“Thank you so much for answering this. With millions of women who are seniors over 70 facing a diagnosis of osteoporosis, this is my question. What can we do naturally to help improve our bone density, especially in the spine lumber 1 and 2? Also, how do we help improve bone density in the femur...

Read This

Critical Brain Nutrient Missing In 9 Out of 10 American Diets

You’ve probably heard plenty about brain-boosting omega-3s, antioxidants, and B vitamins. But there’s another nutrient that’s just as critical for your cognitive health. However, it’s been flying under the radar… until now. Mounting evidence suggests this overlooked compound could be key to protecting your brain and enhancing memory. It may even reduce your risk of...

Read This

"Miracle Berry" Supercharges Your Microbiome

Happy Father’s Day to all the dads and granddads who’ve shared their wisdom, strength, and love through the years. Thank you for teaching us that the best medicine is laughter, love, and a father’s caring heart. Want to upgrade your health but don’t want complicated diets or expensive supplements? Science just revealed a delicious way...

Read This

This "Healthy" Sweetener is Sabotaging Your Weight Loss

Everyone knows that a balanced diet and regular exercise are crucial for maintaining a healthy weight. But what if the “diet” products you’re using to cut calories make you hungrier, so you eat more? Well, a shocking new study suggests that a popular artificial sweetener is secretly sabotaging your weight loss efforts. Let’s dig into...

Read This

“Banned in Europe” Food Additive Triggers Hormone Chaos

If you’ve ever enjoyed the bright white frosting on a cookie or vibrantly colored candy, you’ve likely consumed titanium dioxide. This common food additive, used to make products look more appealing, is now at the center of a growing health debate. Titanium dioxide is essentially makeup for food—a white powder that enhances colors and makes...

Read This

Your Phone Is DESTROYING Your Brain—Here's How to Fight Back

Ever notice how—after a day of bouncing between your phone, computer, and TV—your brain feels like it’s been stuffed with cotton? You may struggle to remember what you need at the store, fumble for words, or stare blankly at your crossword puzzle. It’s not because you’re getting older—it’s what your devices are doing to your...

Read This