How is endothelial dysfunction diagnosed?

Until recently, experts used various methods to assess endothelial function. These methods are categorized as either:

Invasive – which is painful and with a certain amount of risk; or

Noninvasive – which is user-dependent, meaning test results are prone to high variability between users, limiting its use to expert research sites.

To diagnose something as serious as endothelial dysfunction, a method is needed that can function with consistent accuracy, independently of the user. The Endo-Pat2000  provides this combination of noninvasive, ease-of-use, independent of the user, while providing reliability. It has been scientifically validated in close to a hundred publications from clinical studies in top research centers (e.g., Framingham Heart Study, Harvard, Mayo Clinic and hundreds of others) around the world and is the method used to assess endothelial function in leading centers.

In order to avoid confusion, please note that there are several noninvasive methodologies to assess cardiovascular disease risk. But all of them target subclinical atherosclerosis, which is when vascular health has already been compromised to a certain extent. This degeneration of the vasculature is irreversible. While endothelial dysfunction plays a key role throughout these phases of the atherosclerotic disease, it is not what these tests of cardiovascular risk measure.

• Vascular tone
• Inflammation
• Coagulation
• Oxidation

If these processes are not strictly regulated, they can lead to impairment of vascular health, leading the way to subclinical atherosclerosis, all the way to cardiovascular disease.

The Endo-PAT2000 is FDA approved, and  has been extensively studied, with over 100,000 tests performed, and 70 peer reviewed publications.  It is now available for clinical use by general practitioners, cardiologists, urologists, and other MDs.