test questions how to proceed

[stellatj]

Hi and thank you in advance i have wrote before i have a bad family history of heart disease lost my dad and brother while they were in their 30's other brother had a triple bypass at age 23
i am a 44 year old female non smoker non drinker 146 pounds my doc has had me on preventive medice for heart disease aspirin atenolol pravachol and k-dur. i just had a ebct calcium test i flunked bad my score was 617.64 with 18 lesions 7 on the lad 4 on the lcx and 7 on the rca after the test i had lab work all was great except my lipoprotein{a}
Results were trig 52 chol total 143 hdl 58 ldl 75
lipoprotein{a}  is 185 which showed very high. chol/hdlc ratio 2.5 cardi crp<0.2
then i had a thallium stress test and was told everything looks good no restricted blood flow. so what else can i take or do to help prevent a heart attack any way to lower that lipoprotein a and calcium score i walk 30 minutes a nite
that calcium score test really scared me i want to be around to raise my children. if i was your patient what would you suggest also my doc wants to change my pravachol to crestor is that a good move.are there any other test i should take
thank you

[Cleveland Clinic]

timok,

Thanks for the post.

Its hard to modify things that we dont quite yet know how to modify.  Overall, you are doing all of the right things with pretty  good risk factor modifcation through medications and lifestyle.

There isnt a lot of data with Lp(a) but it does tend to respond to cholesterol modification and exercise.  

I wouldnt change too much, but would keep a close followup with yearly stress testing and monitoring of your symptoms.

good luck

[bama jane]

what side effects do you feel from these cholesterol lowering drugs.  My ldl is high and I have arrhythhmia but no clacium on scan, I exercise and eat fairly good weight good too, but still ldl is high everything else is really good so am hesitant about taking statins.