Cardiovascular Diseases in Minnesota

Cardiometabolic Program

"The program is 'cardiometabolic' because it's a metabolic problem, but the consequence we fear the most is cardiovascular."

Francisco Lopez-Jimenez, M.D.
Program Director, Associate Director, Research

The Cardiometabolic Program within the Cardiovascular Health Clinic at Mayo Clinic in Rochester offers a unique, personalized treatment plan for people with metabolic syndrome. Based on Mayo's highly successful cardiac rehabilitation program, we combine diet and exercise prescriptions with a state-of-the-art facility, hands-on experiences and a focus on behavioral change to maximize success.

Metabolic Syndrome

Metabolic syndrome is a long-recognized medical condition, but has been defined only recently. A person is diagnosed with the syndrome when he or she has three of these five disorders affecting metabolism:

• High blood pressure
• High blood sugar
• High triglycerides
• Low HDL ('good') cholesterol
• Abdominal obesity

While any of these factors is unhealthy, the net effect of having at least three of these disorders is even worse, dramatically increasing the risk for cardiovascular disease and diabetes. In fact, metabolic syndrome carries the same cardiovascular risk as smoking two packs of cigarettes a day. The good news is that intervention and treatment in a comprehensive program can decrease cardiovascular risk and prevent the onset of diabetes.

Cardiometabolic Program Components

Studies have shown that the most effective and long-lasting treatment for metabolic syndrome is regular exercise and a healthy diet. One of the only programs of its kind in the nation, Mayo Clinic's Cardiometabolic Program combines strategies for diet and exercise with behavior modification to most effectively manage the disorder. The core component program is six weeks long; in the near future, an intensive, two-day intervention will be implemented.

Nutrition

Much more than telling participants what they should and shouldn't eat, the program focuses on behavioral change, and teaching the skills necessary to make good choices. Services include:

• Specific recommendations for caloric intake and changes in diet
• A teaching kitchen, a hands-on setting where participants learn to prepare healthy, tasty foods
• Ongoing cognitive/psychological assessment of eating habits and how to change unhealthy eating behavior

Physical Activity

In the Cardiometabolic Program, each participant receives an exercise prescription to progress into an active lifestyle at a healthy pace. Services include:

• On-site exercise instruction by exercise specialists in Mayo Clinic's state-of-the-art, 5,000-square-foot facility
• Exercise with support group to provide motivation
• Cardiac stress testing to assess patient's risk and formulate recommendations

Follow-up

Before beginning the program, patients undergo measurement of all metabolic syndrome components, and have periodic measurements taken throughout the program to provide participants with information to track their progress. After completing the in-house program, we implement a long-term follow-up program to support and track participants' ongoing success.

Teamwork — Mayo Clinic's Trademark

In Mayo Clinic's tradition of collaboration and teamwork, the Cardiometabolic Program draws on the valuable experience of its dedicated staff members, including:

• Preventive cardiologists
• Exercise physiologists
• Registered dietitians
• Nurse practitioners
• Registered nurses (specializing in behavioral change and exercise methodology)
• Certified exercise specialists
• Cardiopulmonary exercise test technicians
• Endocrinologists
• Sleep medicine experts
• Hypertension specialists

Appointments

Patients may be referred by their primary physicians, or they may make appointments on their own. To set up an initial evaluation with the Cardiometabolic Program, please call (507) 284-4443 Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Central time.

Professional Staff

Francisco Lopez-Jimenez, M.D., Program Director, Associate Director, Research
Thomas G. Allison, Ph.D., M.P.H., Education Director, Exercise Laboratory Director
Thomas Behrenbeck, M.D., Ph.D.
Gerald T. Gau, M.D., Director, Nutrition Services
Bruce D. Johnson, Ph.D., Associate Director, Research
Stephen L. Kopecky, M.D.
Iftikhar J. Kullo, M.D., Research Director
Virend Somers, M.D., Ph.D.
Ray W. Squires, Ph.D., Program Director, Cardiovascular Rehabilitation
Carmen Terzic, M.D., Ph.D.
Randal J. Thomas, M.D., M.S., Director
Martha Mangan, R.N., CNP