The Endothelial Glycocalyx: The Missing Link In Vascular Health?

Speaker: Cory Rice, DO 

Session Description: The condition of the vascular system touches every organ of the body. First and foremost, it largely determines the risk of CVD, still the leading killer in the US and worldwide. But outcomes for many other diseases are impacted by vascular health, from diabetic neuropathy to erectile dysfunction.

Dr. Rice’s presentation will introduce an under-reported key to vascular health, the endothelial glycocalyx.  This microscopic anti-adhesive lining of the entire endothelium has been shown to play a decisive role in the protection and regulation of the vascular system. In the past 10 years there’s been an explosion of research into the glycocalyx, which is only now entering the medical textbooks.

The significance of the glycocalyx is all the greater because the focus of cardiovascular medicine is shifting from the contents of the lumen to the condition of the arterial wall, which is directly dependent on the glycocalyx.

Simply put, a healthy vascular system is impossible without a healthy glycocalyx. The presentation will focus on the clinical implications of this discovery, with specific treatment recommendations.