Re: lipids

Posted By chris  on March 09, 1999 at 08:35:48:

In Reply to: Re: lipids posted by CCF CARDIO MD-APS on March 09, 1999 at 06:45:46:






I had a cholesterol screening done which showed my total cholesterol to be 229 and my HDL 35. My pcp ordered a lipid panel after 3 months of major dietary changes (drastic reduction in saturated fat, increased fruits,veggies,fiber etc) and an exercise program. The lipid panel showed my total cholesterol was 216, HDL was 26, and LDL was 200.  Was 3 months not long enough to see any improvement in these levels?  My pcp then ordered an FSH which was at a non-menopausal level.(I'm 48) I chose not to take lipid lowering drugs and retest at 6 months. Can I expect to see much of an improvement in my lipid levels after 6 months without drugs?  I am also being treated with 25mg atenolol daily for episodes of high blood pressure. I have normal and moderately high readings. (159/108, 120/84, 170/105 in a 2 week period) Would this be considered another risk factor? Should I be more aggressive with the cholesterol control?  Thank you.            




Dear Chris,
It is very unlikely that a diet will make a difference in your case, i.e. in terms
of how much your cholesterol needs to be reduced in order to decrease your risk of coronary artery disease (which is the process leading to heart attacks and heart failure.)
Understand that the cholesterol lowering drugs in the "statin" class have been
proven to have benefits above and beyond simply lowering the cholesterol.
You have multiple risk factors for coronary artery disease, and some of the most important ones:
high blood pressure, high LDL and low HDL are very serious risks to your heart health.
So at your 6month cholesterol check, do not be disappointed with the results as honestly
the dieting is helping in other areas and thus you should not discontinue that, just be willing to
go on a statin drug and inquire about a daily exercise program which is also very
important for the heart and blood pressure.
I hope this information is useful. Information provided in the heart forum is for
general purposes only. Only your physician can provided specific diagnoses and therapies.
Feel free to write back with further questions. Good luck!

Thank you doctor for your response. After I posted I realized that I gave the wrong figure for my LDL-it was 145, not 200. Still elevated though. Triglycerides were 225. The HDL was correct as was the total.From what I've read, diet only helps about 10-15%. I also have read that it is not recommended to treat premenospausal women with the statins. I am wondering if my HDL will actually get worse when I do reach menopause.I know no one else my age taking this heart stuff seriously. I didn't either until the blood pressure problems appeared. I read in today's newspaper that only 1 in 5 Americans who should be taking the statins are and that heart disease is the #1 killer of women, yet I rarely hear women talking about this. Thanks again.