Aa
HDL (good cholesterol)
60 y/o with stent in LAD one year ago. Physician said latest recommendations were to try to get LDL below 70. On 5 mg. lipitor, lab values were: cholesterol 145, LDL 87, HDL 51, and triglycerides 80. Because of some muscle pain we switched to 5mg crestor and new lab values are:cholesterol 118 ,LDL 64, HDL 32 and triglycerides 116. I also continue a low fat diet .
My ratios do not seem as good. Since crestor is supposed to increase HDL a few points I am wondering how often the reverse happens and what I should do next. I do not want to take Niacin and am allergic to red wine I will continue to exercise.
My ratios do not seem as good. Since crestor is supposed to increase HDL a few points I am wondering how often the reverse happens and what I should do next. I do not want to take Niacin and am allergic to red wine I will continue to exercise.
Cholesterol suggestions? My bloodwork just came back with a level of 220. I've always been around 200. I'm 48 and in very good shape...do 1/2 hour of jump rope 6 days a week. Diet pretty good...have no idea why cholesterol up high. I guess I could go Spartan on the diet...but would like to hear success stories from others. My ldl is 154, hdl 50 and tri 81. Thanks in advance!
I was wondering if anyone new of any natural remedies to bring down total choleterol and tri's?
I Just found out my lipid levels are elvated: Total over 360,tri's over 600 and hdl in the 40's.
Thanks
tried Zetia and got immediate facial edema so that route out early. I plan to repeat lab in 6 weeks to recheck HDL. If it is still low, I may see if I can tolerate a slighly higher dose (higher than 5mg lipitor) of a different statin. Everyone reacts to medicines differently so it may take some different trials. I was in a research
protocol and received a medicated stent with followup angiogram in one year showing 0% restenosis.
protocol and received a medicated stent with followup angiogram in one year showing 0% restenosis.
You had a near perfect lipid profile on the first reading on only 5 mg of lipitor.
I think that most of the statins are pretty much neutral on HDL. Perhaps your reading on Crestor was a fluke and you should test again.
I think that low HDL is the greatest predictor of future coronary artery disease and you really have to get it up to at least 50 and maintain it there if you have existing disease.
The only three things currently available to raise HDL significantly are exercise, alcohol, and high doses of Niacin.
Because you have a good triglyceride and ldl profile with such a low dose of statin, you could probably get the same with Zetia or Welchol which work in the intestine (Each in different ways).
A new class of drugs to raise HDL should be on the market by 2006, if they pass testing. In the meantime, I take and believe in Niaspan. Combined with daily exercise, it has raised my HDL from 29-33 to 50-55, which I believe is the main reason that my disease has stopped progressing.
The trick with Niaspan is to take it all a bedtime and don't eat or drink anything but water for 2 hours before. Any food in your stomach activates the time release faster and can cause flushing. Other than that, I have not had side effects in the 2+ years that I have been taking it.
I have a longstanding totally occluded RCA, a 70-90% ostial occlusion of the circumflex, and a cratered plaque in my left main. It's been 5 years since my heart attack. Unfortunately it took over a year after that to get on an aggressive lipid and bp control strategy using multiple drugs.
Each year I seem to feel a bit more normal and now only experience angina under extreme conditions.
At this point, I am certainly glad that the cardiologists never left any steel in me during my two failed attempts at angioplasty. I tend to believe that I now have a pretty healthy vascular and endothelial system, except for a few old artifacts that really do no harm.
Because I feel good and lead a pretty normal life after 5 years, I have come to believe that agressive lipid and bp control with multi-drug cocktails are more effective than stenting or bypass surgery in the long run. Of course I could always end up dead wrong:)
Good Luck
I think that most of the statins are pretty much neutral on HDL. Perhaps your reading on Crestor was a fluke and you should test again.
I think that low HDL is the greatest predictor of future coronary artery disease and you really have to get it up to at least 50 and maintain it there if you have existing disease.
The only three things currently available to raise HDL significantly are exercise, alcohol, and high doses of Niacin.
Because you have a good triglyceride and ldl profile with such a low dose of statin, you could probably get the same with Zetia or Welchol which work in the intestine (Each in different ways).
A new class of drugs to raise HDL should be on the market by 2006, if they pass testing. In the meantime, I take and believe in Niaspan. Combined with daily exercise, it has raised my HDL from 29-33 to 50-55, which I believe is the main reason that my disease has stopped progressing.
The trick with Niaspan is to take it all a bedtime and don't eat or drink anything but water for 2 hours before. Any food in your stomach activates the time release faster and can cause flushing. Other than that, I have not had side effects in the 2+ years that I have been taking it.
I have a longstanding totally occluded RCA, a 70-90% ostial occlusion of the circumflex, and a cratered plaque in my left main. It's been 5 years since my heart attack. Unfortunately it took over a year after that to get on an aggressive lipid and bp control strategy using multiple drugs.
Each year I seem to feel a bit more normal and now only experience angina under extreme conditions.
At this point, I am certainly glad that the cardiologists never left any steel in me during my two failed attempts at angioplasty. I tend to believe that I now have a pretty healthy vascular and endothelial system, except for a few old artifacts that really do no harm.
Because I feel good and lead a pretty normal life after 5 years, I have come to believe that agressive lipid and bp control with multi-drug cocktails are more effective than stenting or bypass surgery in the long run. Of course I could always end up dead wrong:)
Good Luck
I don,t want to take niacin because of side effects . I am sensitive to most medications. I have read that niacin also can increase muscle side effect of statins.
Thanks for all comments.
Thanks for all comments.
I've taken niacin and I found it to be awful. It didn't help my HDL at all. Plus, it just made me 'burp' like a drunk - all day long - in the office !! It wouldn't be so bad - but I didn't drink !!!
Good Luck
Marilyn
Good Luck
Marilyn
Just curious. Why don't you want to take the Niacin (niaspan)? it is supposed to be very effective at raising HDL. I habe some Niaspan too but I have been afraid to take it myself because of the potential side-effects.
Hi, I take Pravachol and it works great FOR ME - it lowered my total - and my HDL ratio is about 3 to 1. I'm on a low-fat diet and I exercise quite intensely. But I did get some muscle aches in my legs when I first went on it - but they subsided in time..
Best Wishes
Marilyn
Best Wishes
Marilyn
The statin drug not only lowered your LDL and Total Cholesterol, it lowered your HDL as well and by quite alot. Smoetimes too low of a low-fat diet can decrease your hDL as well. I have had luck with low dose Zocor 20mg raising my HDL. Just an idea. Good luck!
Hi Triq,
Good questions, but unfortunately the answer is not known. You lipid levels (all of them) may vary somewhat from day to day. I would not worry about this after only one occassion. You are doing the right things with diet and exercise, too bad about the red wine allergy.
It is great that you LDL decreased with a 5 of crestor, but it would surprise me if there was some variations with your next test as well (ie LDL up a bit, HDL down a bit). If your HDL stays low, I would consider trying Niacin.
Hope this helps and good luck!
Good questions, but unfortunately the answer is not known. You lipid levels (all of them) may vary somewhat from day to day. I would not worry about this after only one occassion. You are doing the right things with diet and exercise, too bad about the red wine allergy.
It is great that you LDL decreased with a 5 of crestor, but it would surprise me if there was some variations with your next test as well (ie LDL up a bit, HDL down a bit). If your HDL stays low, I would consider trying Niacin.
Hope this helps and good luck!
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