Re: Cholesterol Advice Needed

From: Mirek Fidler (cxl_at_volny.cz)
Date: 09/15/04 

Date: Wed, 15 Sep 2004 19:22:08 +0200

> I have the following results and would appreciate suitable advice:-
>
> Chol Tot - 251
> HDL - 63
> LDL - 175
> Chol Tot/HDL - 4.0
> Triglycerides - 73
>
> I am 43, exercise a lot (>7hrs/week), not overweight, diet reasonable,
> borderline hypertension (not treated). my doctor thinks I should not
> wait any longer before taking cholesterol lowering drugs. He says
> there is a high chance that I will have a heart attack/ stroke within
> 10 years.
>
> 1. Is my doctor correct?

You can try this sites to find out:

http://hin.nhlbi.nih.gov/atpiii/calculator.asp?usertype=pub

Here it what it says about your condition:

Information about your risk score:
Age: 43
ender: male
Total Cholesterol: 250 mg/dL
HDL Cholesterol: 63 mg/dL
Smoker: No Systolic Blood Pressure: 140 mm/Hg
On medication for HBP: No

Risk Score* 3%
Means 3 of 100 people with this level of risk will have a heart attack
in the next 10 years.

> 2. What are your top 3 suggestions for me to lower my chol. (without
> drugs)

Lossing weight might help, but for many people significant reduction of
LDL can be achieved only by drugs.

Anyway, taking most potent class of drugs (statins) seems to reduce your
chances by average 50% - so that in your case you would get from 3% to
2%. BTW, it is really impossible to get under 1% (you can have no risk
factors at all and still have heart attack).

BTW, besides lipid panel, the most important risk factor is family
history of CAD. Others are smoking and metabolic syndrome. All these are
probably more predictive than lipid panel.

> 3. Will increasing excercise help?

It will raise HDL. Anyway, it helps only to some degree and your HDL is
already high (that is a very good thing).

> 5. How is tot chol. calculated to get the 251?

LDL = TC - HDL - TG/5

Mirek

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