cholesterol/CRP questions

[Hiker in Hawaii]

Couple months back, took a high sensitivity cardio-CRP test & it happened to be one day after severly spraining ankle playing basketball - the cardio-CRP came in at 13.3 Test was repeated several weeks later after ankle healed & came back at .4 Is this test still considered useful or is there alot of controversy surrounding its benefits & what is this test actually measuring?...

Also, my MD & I have been trying various ways to try to increase HDL as it's generally been in the 25-35 range last several years....Is there one reading ie: LDL, HDL, triglicerdies, that's more important than the other? - my other numbers are all good, just can't seem to raise HDL..

Lastly, is brisk walking 5 days a week benefical for heart?..Or, does one need to have extremely vigorous excercise (swimming, distance running, etc) before there is any benefit..

Thank you

[CCF-M.D.-MJM]

Hi Hiker,

There is a lot of controversy surrounding CRP.  It is very volatile -- the common cold can send it soring.  There is good data showing that people with elevated CRP have more cardiovascular events.  Your actually CRP is probably 0.4 -- wouldn't worry about that one.

Elevated tryglicerides are a bit less important unless they are very elevated.  Otherwise, LDL and HDL are both important -- it is tough to put a weight on them.  Do your best to be active, eat right, not smoke, watch your weight, and continue your medications if they help.  I am not sure what your doctor has tried yet.  Niacin can raise HDL and statins can as well.  Alcohol is know to raise HDL, but there is no outcome study that I know of showing a significant decrease in cardiovascular events with alcohol (in moderation).

As far as exercise, do what you enjoy.  The important thing is elevating your heart rate for a good aerobic work out.  Make it fun.  Find a friend to walk with and make a commitment to each other, then it is harder to skip days.

I hope this helps.  Thanks for posting and good luck.

[Erik36]

Hi. I have the same problems as you. My cholesterol numbers are all great except for my HDL which seems to be 29-36. Total 120, LDL 60, Tri 100. Soon, there will be a drug on the market called Torcetrapib which raises HDL like 60 percent. It also has Lipitor in it to keep the other numbers low. I'm not sure if it is coming out in 2007 or 2008.

Dear Doctor,

I you read this comment, do you have any idea when pfizer will be submitting this new drug to the FDA for approval?

Thanks!

Erik

[Gaspipe]

Hi One thing people tend to forget is that with low total cholesterol like 120 it is logical that hdl and ldl will be low, since both are part of the total number. Remember the ratio of hdl to ldl is also important and think of it this way ..if your total cholesterol were 220 your hdl might be 60 and ldl 120 ...so which would you prefer?? As the saying goes you can't have your cake and eat it too!! I remain yours truly Gaspipe

[tomah]

I have heard that before - that if your total cholesterol is low, then your HDL would be low too.  My husband's dr. disagrees about the ratio.  His total cholesterol is 105, LDL is 77, but his HDL is 37, and they are doing everything in their power to bring up his HDL.  He has been switched from Lipitor to Crestor, and has been given an rx for niaspan,too. He has had 2 heart attacks (minor ones) in 1 1/2 years - and they can't seem to figure out why his arteries keep plugging up.  He has always had low blood pressure, and low cholesterol, quit smoking the day of his first heart attack but still had another one 1 1/2 years later.  Can't wait for the new medication to come out - my HDL is only 27!!

[moosejuice]

Do they know that you husband has clogged arteies and its not spasms

[tomah]

Yes - it is blockages.  During his first heart attack he had 3 stents put in his LAD.  The last one, Memorial weekend was in his RCA - a 50% blockage that apparently clogged further.  They put one stent in that time.

[texas2step]

My question is: How can they tell it is a blockage or a spasm...One lady had triple by-pass for "her spasms"....found out too late.

[Angie O Plasty]

CRP is a marker of inflammation, and the idea is that atherosclerosis is an inflammatory condition in the arteries and that is why CRP is predictive of cardiac events.  However, if there is inflammation anywhere in the body, the CRP level in the blood will be elevated.  This includes such things as the common cold or other infections, and also injuries such as your sprained ankle.  Because your level was 0.4 when you had it retested once the ankle healed, that doesn't seem to indicate high risk--that is a nice low level.  The initial high level was most likely just from the injury you had at the time.

[lauve92]

I went on lipitor about 1 1/2 years ago.  20 MG.  It knocked everything in half including good cholesterol what wasn't high enough on the original test.  The cardiologist said as long as my bad cholesterol was OK we do not worry about the good.  He did reduce it to 10 MG, my good cholesterol  was still signifigantly low.  I asked the Doctor about fish oil and flax seed oil,he said it was OK.  I started 1000 MG 2X a day of each.  My good cholesterol is always OK any more.  anyone know what is the current acceptable level of cholesterol, my dr said they recently lowered it.