Re: Cholesterol Advice Needed

From: Paul Eaton (peaton_at_pt.lu)
Date: 09/16/04 

Date: 16 Sep 2004 12:48:28 -0700

"Mirek Fidler" <cxl@volny.cz> wrote in message news:<2qrblgF11i5onU1@uni-berlin.de>...
> > 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.

Wow, this is very low risk, whereas my doctor appeared very concerned
that I should consider start taking statins pretty soon, he really did
unravel me.

Taking statins is not worthwhile for going 3% to 2% considering the
health risks I have since read about re statins.

Even articles stating high cholesterol is good.

>
> > 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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