Intermittant chest pain, increased heart rate, high cholesterol

[brady80]

I'm feeling foolish.  I have a 53 year old female with no family history of heart disease.  My cholesterol is 266.  I have intermittant chest "discomfort" (sometimes a fullness, other times like a "kick" in the chest.  Extremely tired (all the time).  Occasional dizziness.  My normal heart rate (pulse) is 72-80.  For the past 2-3 weeks, it has been 90-130 (varies throughout the day, not dependent on activity).  Frequent pain in left arm, but only a couple of times (about 2 wks ago) has it been knife-like and radiating.  Usually, just hurts.  I don't want to sound like a hypochondriac.  Is this something I should even mention to my doc?  I'm a new patient, and don't want him to think I'm silly.  Pain is NOT severe, and heart rate is never faster than 130, usually ranges about 90-110.  Most of the time I feel fine.  Am I silly to worry about this slightly elevated heart rate?

[star queen]

First you need to get the Cholesterol down.  There are prescription meds out there, or you could ask the doc if Niacin is a good idea to lower it.  Whenever there is high Cholesterol and heart pain of any type, you should get the heart checked out.  Ask for a nuclear med treadmill test, and EKG, and a chest xray.  Have an ultrasound done on the heart, carotid arteries, and the Thyroid gland. Check out your blood pressure on a regular basis.  Your symptoms and increased heart rate may be caused by anxiety because you are worried about your heart, or they may be related to a Thyroid condition.  Have a complete checkup to include, blood work.  Ask for a CBC, Thyroid, Thyroid cascade, urinalysis, and Lipid panel.  You are over 50, so get a DEXA exam done to check out your bone density. Don't forget the Mammo. Talk with you doctor about vitamins and supplements like Kelp (iodine) for your Thyroid, B12 for energy, Omega 3 for skin and hair, and Folic acid. You can take this time to discuss meds to prevent vaginal thinning and drying.  All this should normally be done by the age of 50-55 for women who are entering the "monopausal" stage of life anyway, so you shouldn't be embarassed to ask for all this to be done or afraid of being tagged as a hypochondriac. good luck

[brady80]

Thanks for the response.  I am on Lipitor for the cholesterol, and have been for about 4 years.  I had a hysterectomy at age 26, so my doc won't give me any more hormones.  I had a bone density last year.  T-score was -4.7.  I take Actanol for that.  I recently had a blood workup.  The cholesterol and elevated triglycerides were all that were "out of whack".  I really think the "heart rate" is just stress.  I'll wait a while and see if it works itself out.