Blood Test Results

Hi.  I found a lot of info from your site which is helpful but I have not been able to find an answer to my exact situation, which is this:

I'm in my late 20's.  The results from my annual physical were all normal except for my blood test, which showed my triglycerides at 599 (!), cholesterol at 243, and HDL at 44.  The doctor wants to start me on Lipitor pending the results of a follow-up blood test he did yesterday.  In the past, the general opinion was that I was too young to be put on medication for this, but the doctor thinks that my problem may be hereditary and should be addressed with medication.  As a rule, I generally do not eat eggs or red meat but I have started a stricter diet and I have begun exercising 20 minutes every day.

My brother happens to be a cardiologist and he suggested that since my EKG and blood pressure were fine, I might want to see what the diet and exercise do before I take anything.  His opinion of Lipitor is that it is handed out like candy.  My questions, therefore, are:

1)  Can high triglycerides and cholesterol be hereditary and not based solely on diet or level of exercise?

2)  If I start medication, is it something I will have to take for the rest of my life?

3)  What is your opinion of Lipitor and what are the potential side effects?

4)  What are the foods that actively reduce cholesterol and triglycerides?

Thanks for the help.

[CCF CARDIO MD - DLB]

1. Absolutely.
2. Probably.
3. It is a good medication with few side effects. However, no one knows what taking it for 70+ years might do to you.
4. Avoid fast foods, processed foods and greasy foods. Avoid alcohol. Stick to a low fat diet.

While there are a variety of valid viewpoints on this issue, I agree with your brother. See what a strict diet, alcohol cessation, and exercise do.  Then, consider medication. Lipitor would do a good job lowering you cholesterol, but would not be ideally suited to lower your triglycerides.

[Daniel]

Thanks for your help.  I plan on using some of this information when I sit down with my doctor to discuss treatment.  My one additional question is a follow-up to one about taking medication permanently.  If I do start the medication, is it possible that if the numbers of my blood test show improvement over a limited period of time, say 6 months or something, that I could be taken off the Lipitor without any harmful effects?  I am going to do everything I can to avoid taking it to begin with, but if it is inevitable I am uncomfortable with committing myself to a lifetime of medication without at least trying some other options.

Thanks!

[CCF CARDIO MD - DLB]

Yes, you could definitely stop the medication and no harm would come to you (other than the fact that your cholesterol levels may rise again).