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Heart disease possible with great BP and cholesterol?
I am 45, female bp 120/75, total chol. 156, hdl 61, ldl 73, average RHR 68, nonsmoker, but overweight, mild recurring chest pain, radiates to back and arms. This has been going on for about 2-3 months, recently started feeling intermittent lightheadedness. Is it possible to have CHD or some other heart problem while still having perfect blood pressure and cholesterol numbers?
Had the stress test today. Doctor said everything looked fine. I don't know what is going on but apparently it is not heart related. I go back to my doc next Monday. Thanks for all the info and comments folks.
COMMUNITY LEADER
What everyone here says s true, get checked out by you doctor and it sounds like you're doing that.
Ed is correct, some people get heart disease that have no right getting it just like some smokers never get lung cancer. It's all about the odds. The odds of some one with high cholesterol getting heart disease is much higher than some one with low cholesterol. We know from numerous studies that you have a 42% reduction in your risk for heart disease with low cholesterol, but it does happen. We don't know why some will and some won't so all we can do is live our lives to reduce our risks as much as possible. Control cholesterol, manager our weight and keep our blood pressure in check, that improves your odds.
Ed is correct, some people get heart disease that have no right getting it just like some smokers never get lung cancer. It's all about the odds. The odds of some one with high cholesterol getting heart disease is much higher than some one with low cholesterol. We know from numerous studies that you have a 42% reduction in your risk for heart disease with low cholesterol, but it does happen. We don't know why some will and some won't so all we can do is live our lives to reduce our risks as much as possible. Control cholesterol, manager our weight and keep our blood pressure in check, that improves your odds.
Personally I can't adhere to the 'risk factor' idea entirely. There is still much that is not known about artery disease. I have been in and out of various hospitals on numerous occasions since 2007 (when I was 46) and I was told at the beginning the cause was high cholesterol. When you meet lots of different patients, the picture seems to dramatically alter. It isn't so clean cut as they like to make us believe. I met patients who had never smoked in their lives and had lower than average cholesterol, yet their arteries were a mess. I met patients who were exercise fanatics and looked after their health. At first I believed these must be rare, or 'one off's' but over time I met quite a high number. Still, I guess they can always fall back onto the usual scape goat, "oh it's genetic". My guess is that stress is a key factor but it needs something else to kick the process into gear and they still haven't found that. Obesity is said to be a risk factor too, but I looked up the heaviest people on the planet. None of them had artery problems, and those who have now left us, none died of heart problems. When you read the scientific papers and then look in the real world, there are so many things which just don't add up and it isn't just with heart disease. Until the actual cause is found, I will continue on my meds and wait as long as I can.
Thanks everybody. I appreciate the input. I have seen a doctor who didn't seem too concerned. She did an ekg and said it was normal. I have a stress test scheduled. I do not have diabetes and the onlyheart related family history is my dad takes a medication for an irregular heartbeat. The only risk factors I have for heart disease are my obesity, (I am 5'7" and weigh 210 lbs), sedentary lifestyle, (desk job and no time to exercise) and the fact both my work and personal life are jampacked with stress right now! I have always heard that stress was bad for your heart but kind of thought it was an old wives tale! Till I started reading about heart issues since this pain started. The other thing that I am not sure about is if my heart rate is "normal" sometimes sitting at my desk doing nothing it is around 68-70 which seems perfectly normal. Other times just sitting at my desk my heart rate is over 90. Just walking up one flight of stairs one time at a normal pace and my heart rate is almost always over 130.
There are many, many causes of chest pain, and 'radiates' is a term that needs to be assessed by a doctor in person, because pain can radiate or be referred, and these manifestations imply different things.
As you describe your sensations, you do not mention the big things that raise a real red flag, so based on that, my guess is that you are probably not experiencing anything classically heart related. But I don't know you at all.
I'd suggest seeing your doctor to have your symptoms evaluated.
As you describe your sensations, you do not mention the big things that raise a real red flag, so based on that, my guess is that you are probably not experiencing anything classically heart related. But I don't know you at all.
I'd suggest seeing your doctor to have your symptoms evaluated.
Coronary Heart Disease has many causes, Jerry in his post mentioned family history and obesity. Also, Diabetes is a major contributor to Coronary Heart Disease, as is a sedentary lifestyle. I'm guessing you have seen a doctor and have a diagnosis... have you had other tests other than having your blood checked?
Coronary artery disease seems really unlikely, but Jery_NJ is absolutely right: you need to be checked by your doctor, and we can only guess and relate here.
Bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) is a type of congenital heart disease that often goes undiagnosed until the affected person is about the age you are now. In symptomatic middle-aged people with the condition, an echocardiogram is almost always abnormal, so that's the preferred test. (There are some BAVs that look normal on echo, at least initially, but not usually this late in the game.) I myself was diagnosed with a BAV at age 49. I was shocked to be told that I had any kind of heart condition and especially one that I had had since birth.
I believe there are more noncardiac causes of chest pain than there are cardiac causes, though.
Bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) is a type of congenital heart disease that often goes undiagnosed until the affected person is about the age you are now. In symptomatic middle-aged people with the condition, an echocardiogram is almost always abnormal, so that's the preferred test. (There are some BAVs that look normal on echo, at least initially, but not usually this late in the game.) I myself was diagnosed with a BAV at age 49. I was shocked to be told that I had any kind of heart condition and especially one that I had had since birth.
I believe there are more noncardiac causes of chest pain than there are cardiac causes, though.
You have to be checked by your doctor... we can only guess and relate here.
If CHD means Congenital Heart Defect, you doctor should be able to "see" it using EKG to start (do you have a regular and normal heart rate?). Then an echocardiogram can be done to see what the physical heart "looks" like and stress test can be run to look for blockage.
Do heart problems run in you family: mother, father, siblings? If yes then you have one risk factor, over weight is another. Good you don't smoke and have other good measures, those are all "good" factors.
If CHD means Congenital Heart Defect, you doctor should be able to "see" it using EKG to start (do you have a regular and normal heart rate?). Then an echocardiogram can be done to see what the physical heart "looks" like and stress test can be run to look for blockage.
Do heart problems run in you family: mother, father, siblings? If yes then you have one risk factor, over weight is another. Good you don't smoke and have other good measures, those are all "good" factors.
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