December FMP Essentials Mastermind Member Newsletter

In This Edition:

• AHA PREVENT Cardiovascular Risk Equation: Explore how the new equation could reshape statin prescribing practices.
• What’s New at FMP Essentials: Stay updated on upcoming courses, meet-ups, and exciting community announcements.
• Podcast Spotlight: Tune in to our latest episode on health coaching and Parkinson's Disease with Jodi Franklin.
• Blog Feature: Part 3 of our series, Myths and Misconceptions of Functional Medicine Practitioners, concludes with the final five myths, bringing the series to a close.
• New Webinar Release: Explore innovative strategies for managing dementia in the webinar, "Unraveling Dementia: A Functional Approach," covering the multifactorial causes, subtypes, and personalized treatments.

Stay informed, engaged, and ahead of the curve with this month’s updates!

How PREVENT Could Transform Statin Prescribing

Here is a comparison of each risk calculators features:

A New Perspective on Statin Eligibility
A journal article published in JAMA this fall examined how the PREVENT calculator impacts risk classification—and the findings are profound.

Key Findings from the Study

1. Risk Reclassification:

   • Approximately 53% of U.S. adults could be reclassified into lower ASCVD risk categories.
   • Only a small percentage (0.41%) would move into higher-risk categories.

2. Impact on Treatment Eligibility:

   • An estimated 14.3 million fewer adults could become eligible for statin therapy.
   • 2.62 million fewer adults could become eligible for antihypertensive therapy.

Statins: Common but Not Without Costs
Statins are among the most commonly prescribed medications, with over 92 million adults in the U.S. taking them. While they are effective, their use can come with financial costs and potential side effects. The PREVENT calculator may reduce unnecessary prescriptions for those with overestimated cardiovascular risk.

What About Under-Estimated Risk?
There is concern that changes in risk calculation could lead to fewer preventive treatments, potentially resulting in an estimated 107,000 additional myocardial infarctions or strokes over 10 years. However, the long-term impact remains uncertain.

Our Perspective

With its inclusion of parameters like kidney function and long-term risk projections, the PREVENT calculator represents a promising step forward in cardiovascular risk assessment. However, it will take time to fully evaluate its impact on cardiovascular outcomes.

As functional medicine practitioners, we are hopeful that the PREVENT calculator signals meaningful progress toward more accurate and personalized care. While it provides valuable insights, we continue to look beyond traditional calculators, incorporating additional factors such as:

• Inflammatory and oxidative stress markers
• Lp(a) status
• Endothelial function

This comprehensive approach reflects our commitment to helping patients achieve optimal cardiovascular health through truly individualized care.

Want to check out PREVENT? Here is a link to the calculator: https://professional.heart.org/en/guidelines-and-statements/prevent-calculator 

References:

What's New At FMP Essentials?

• A4M Longevity Fest Meet Up: We are hosting a meetup at the A4M Longevity Fest next weekend. If you are attending the conference and would like to connect with fellow functional medicine practitioners, we'd love to meet you in person. Please fill out this form, if you are interested!

• IMC Health Summit Highlights: Dr. Elyaman recently returned from the IMC Health Summit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia! During the event, he delivered multiple compelling talks on functional medicine and led an engaging, hands-on workshop packed with practical strategies. It was an incredible opportunity to share insights, collaborate with global health professionals, and advance the conversation around functional medicine.

• Mastermind: We continue to work on our Silver and Gold memberships which are set to launch at the beginning of 2025, offering advanced clinical content and leadership development tools. Click here to join the waitlist!

New Webinar Added to the Mastermind!

Check Out This Month's Blog Post

We’re wrapping up our 3-part blog series, 15 Common Myths About Functional Medicine Practitioners, with the final installment! In Part 3, we address the last 5 misconceptions that often cloud the understanding of what we do as functional medicine practitioners. This is your chance to dive into the full picture, debunk these myths, and help set the record straight.

Click here to view the article!

Check Out This Month's Podcast Episode

We’re thrilled to share the latest episode of our podcast, now available for exclusive early access to our Mastermind community!

In this month's episode, Dr. Yousef Elyaman sits down with Jodi Franklin, a seasoned functional medicine health coach, to discuss two impactful topics: the role of health coaching in supporting patients with lifestyle and behavioral changes, and functional medicine approaches to managing Parkinson’s disease. 

The conversation dives into her insights on supporting Parkinson’s disease patients through lifestyle interventions, nutritional optimization, and reducing toxic exposures. Jodi highlights practical strategies, from managing constipation and improving sleep hygiene to addressing nutrient deficiencies and minimizing environmental toxins, offering actionable advice to enhance patient care.

Packed with inspiration and knowledge, this episode underscores the critical partnership between functional medicine practitioners and health coaches in improving patient outcomes.

How to watch/listen: Log into your account, select the Bronze Mastermind, and scroll down to the "Expert Interviews, Insights & Podcasts" section to find the episode.

Help Us Grow Our Community!

Know a colleague who would benefit from being part of this Mastermind? Feel free to invite them to join us! 

Thank you for being part of our community!

-The FMP Essentials Team