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Heart Disease (Expert Forum)
high cholesterol and tricylicerides vs healthy arteries?
Answered by
Cleveland - OH
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high cholesterol and tricylicerides vs healthy arteries?
by apple collector, Sep 10, 2003 12:00AM
my friend has genetically high cholesterol and tricylicerides numbers. He is not able to take the statin drugs, follows a strict no fat (Pritikin diet), exercises regularly, but still has very high numbers. He was told that even with these high numbers, his arteries could be clear of plaque and not be concerned about blockages. Besides angioplasty, are there non-invasive tests to show any blockages in the arteries?
Doctor's Answer
by Cleveland Clinic, Sep 10, 2003 12:00AM
, Sep 10, 2003 12:00AM
thanks for the post.
To answer you shortly, yes there are non invasive test. These include nuclear imaging, ultra fast ct and standard stress testing with or without imagin. The only way to be sure the arteries are clear is to cut them out and look at them. Even catheterization (angioplasty is the process of blowing up balloons in blockages during a catheterization) may miss blocakges inside the wall in some patients.
If your friend is symptom free I would recommend he see a preventative cardiologist. there are some other medications he might be able to use to try to try to lowere his triglycerides and cholesterol. Non invasive testing may be recommended at that time.
To answer you shortly, yes there are non invasive test. These include nuclear imaging, ultra fast ct and standard stress testing with or without imagin. The only way to be sure the arteries are clear is to cut them out and look at them. Even catheterization (angioplasty is the process of blowing up balloons in blockages during a catheterization) may miss blocakges inside the wall in some patients.
If your friend is symptom free I would recommend he see a preventative cardiologist. there are some other medications he might be able to use to try to try to lowere his triglycerides and cholesterol. Non invasive testing may be recommended at that time.
