Please help! I'm Really scared!!!

Posted by Jan on July 15, 1999 at 11:51:24
I'm 38 years old, female, weigh 180 pounds. I am hypertensive. Do not smoke. I take 50mg Toprol. I have PVCs. I took a cardiolite stress test, which shows that certain parts of my heart are not getting enough blood. What does this mean?  Last April -  98 the cholesterol level in my blood was checked. This was quite low the doctor said. Can my cholesterol level be low, but still have plaque in my heart. I do get palpitations when I walk briskly for about 1/2 hour or so. Is the cardiolite stress test, a 100% positive test for blockage. If it is not, what is the error rate. What happens now. I'm scared. I've got young children.
Thanks.

Posted by CCF CARDIO MD - DLB on July 15, 1999 at 13:30:39
Dear Jan
An elevated cholesterol is just one of many risk factors for heart disease. It is not rare to have a normal or low cholesterol but still have heart disease. It is unusual for a young premenopausal woman without a family history of premature heart disease to have significant coronary artery disease. However, the fact that you are overweight and have high blood pressure do increase your risks somewhat. No stress test is 100% accurate for detecting blockages. Under the best of circumstances, they are incorrect at least 10% of the time. They are more likely to be incorrect in someone such as yourself who has a low likelihood of having coronary artery disease in the first place. Nevertheless, given your symptoms and your abnormal stress test, I am pretty sure your doctors will recommend a cardiac catheterization to see if you really do have coronary artery blockages.
I hope this has been useful. I wish you the best of luck. Feel free to write back.
Information provided here is for general purposes only. Specific questions should be addressed to your own doctor. If you would like to make an appointment at the Cleveland Clinic Heart Center, please call 1-800-CCF-CARE or inquire online by using the Heart Center website at www.ccf.org/heartcenter. The Heart Center website contains a directory of the cardiology staff that can be used to select the physician best suited to address your cardiac problem.
Posted by jan on July 15, 1999 at 15:04:55
Thanks very much for your comments. My grandmother - Dad's mum had a stroke when she was about 70. My dad is hypertensive and had high cholesterol level which is controlled now - he's 66. My brother is also hypertensive. I've got high BP as I already mentioned. My mum's brother had a heart by pass for blood clots. Does this family history make me a bad risk for Coronary artery disease.
Thanks.

Posted by CCF CARDIO MD - DLB on July 16, 1999 at 07:43:38
Dear Jan
While you do have a family history of high blood pressure, you do not have a family history of premature coronary artery disease. Nevertheless, I am pretty sure your doctors will suggest a cardiac catheterization.
I hope this has been useful. I wish you the best of luck. Feel free to write back.
Information provided here is for general purposes only. Specific questions should be addressed to your own doctor. If you would like to make an appointment at the Cleveland Clinic Heart Center, please call 1-800-CCF-CARE or inquire online by using the Heart Center website at www.ccf.org/heartcenter. The Heart Center website contains a directory of the cardiology staff that can be used to select the physician best suited to address your cardiac problem.
Posted by jan on July 16, 1999 at 09:41:56
Thanks very much for all your answers. The blood cholesterol levels checked in Apr '98 said 153 for Total Cholesterol and 221 for Triglycerides . It said the triglycerides was high. I don't know much about these things. But at the time, the doctor said the cholesterol levels were very good, so I did'nt think much about it. In about a years time, could it have just become too high, causing the blockage. Could this have been the cause of the blockage that the cardiolite test is showing. Would the Cardiolite stress also tell the % of block.
Sorry for the bother. I do appreciate your answers very much.
Thanks.

Posted by CCF CARDIO MD - DLB on July 16, 1999 at 13:58:02
Dear Jan
An elevated cholesterol for a year would not cause a significant blockage. The stress test would not give the percentage of a blockage.
I hope this has been useful. I wish you the best of luck. Feel free to write back.
Information provided here is for general purposes only. Specific questions should be addressed to your own doctor. If you would like to make an appointment at the Cleveland Clinic Heart Center, please call 1-800-CCF-CARE or inquire online by using the Heart Center website at www.ccf.org/heartcenter. The Heart Center website contains a directory of the cardiology staff that can be used to select the physician best suited to address your cardiac problem.