High ALT and Cholesterol

[RayPStewart]

I'm 39 years old; white male, 220lb, 5’ 10”, with heart decease in my family, I haven’t had problems yet……………………………………………………………………………  
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I have Kaiser Permanente  Insurance                                          June   2010 Blood test
My ALT was 35..(there standard states 9-33)…H …………………………25/2010…….
My AST was 23..(there standard states 12-41)……………………………..24/2010….....
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My PSA was 0.47 (there standard states 0.00-2.50)………………………………………..  
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My Cholesterol…..was 274…..(there standard states 0-199)..H …………..313/2010...…..
My HDL…………..was 48…….(there standard states 41-67)……….………31/2010...……
My LDL…………...was 185…..(there standard states 0-129)..H …………..249/2010……..
My Triglyceride…..was 205.0…(there standard states 0-149.0)H…………..164/2010….....
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My Cholesterol is my big concern and the doctor has set me up for a Stress Test next week since my 2 uncle had heart problems near 40………………………………………...
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So, finally my question.........................................................................................................
The doctor has given me Cholesterol medication SIMVASTATIN 40MG once a day tablet.  I’m scared that my ALT which is already high at 35 might increase and do damage.  My doctor doesn’t seem worried about the ALT; he told me to take the SIM pills and hasn’t talked about the ALT level………………………………………………..
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Should I go on a diet and take the SIM pills for a month and get new blood work, maybe the high ATL levels are from my diet and high Cholesterol? Or will a month on the SIM pill possibly do more irreversible damage?  Or should I request more blood test before taking the SIM pill to check for hepatitis

[RayPStewart]

Thanks for the help.  My doctor finally e-mailed me back today and he told me that if there was a serious problem with my Liver my ALT would have been much higher and not to worry about the ALT at this time.  I'm going to change my diet, exercise more and take the Cholesterol pills and get another blood test in a month.
Thanks Again.

[Flycaster305]

I agree with Jon.  I just had blood work done and the lab considers anything over 51 high.  My ALT is 58, but it has been as high as 90 about 12 years ago, when I was fifty pounds heavier.  Both my cholesterol and ALT scores decreased as I lost weight.  I started taking a statin about 12 years ago, so the ALT scores decreased while taking the statin.  You should, in my opinion, mix in daily exercise, take the statin, lose weight, and eat less fatty meats and dairy.  I'd put the worry of the statin on the shelf, and save the worry for the cholesterol numbers. Your LDL is pretty high and your HDL is so-so, doctors like to see a 3-1 ratio of bad-good cholesterol readings.   Both Ed and I have zippers in our chests from open heart surgery to prove high cholesterol numbers can lead to serious heart problems.  I agree with Ed that inflammation of the arteries is a big issue.  

[erijon]

Your ALT level is fine. Every lab is different, I have seen normal ranges from 33 to 56. Most doctors do not consider them high until they exceed 150 and I have seen test reports with levels over 1000. Every doctor I know has used 56, which is what it shows for normal on my last lab report. Simvastatin is a very safe drug as are all statins. In fact check out the link below;

http://cnlc.us/pt/New-Research-Changes-the-Perception-of-Statins-and-Liver-Disease/wiki.htm

What's interesting is the fact that statins are being shown to improve liver function in those with liver issues. In fact, the FDA will soon be removing liver damage from the list of side effects from statins.

Changing your diet will help, you need to do your part. However, your doctor is right not to be concerned at this time. I'm sure he will keep an eye on your liver function, just make sure to get tested annually. Your LDL is very high and needs to be treated, especially with your family history. You doctor has weighed the benefits and the risk for you and chosen this treatment option. You should be very open about any concerns you have with your doctor.

I hope this helps,

Jon

[ed34]

Diet is obviously an important thing and altitude won't be having an effect on your cholesterol. This is what you eat and how active your liver is. Around 20% of your cholesterol is from what you eat, the rest is made by the liver. For example, I ate like a mouse for a couple of months, but my Cholesterol was off the scale due to hypercholesterolemia. My Liver simply goes nuts, producing tons of the stuff turning my blood into soup. Statins have resolved that. Now, statins have another very important effect, not just lowering cholesterol. The main reason that artery disease starts is inflammation in the arteries, which can be caused by many things from genetics to stress (emotional). Statins are a great anti inflammatory medication. When you take the medication (which I recommend with any family history), just look for common side effects and report them. Such as aching muscles. To be honest, the kind of diet you would have to eat to be healthier is beyond many peoples tolerance. You would have to live on raw vegetables and lots of fruit/nuts etc for the rest of your life. You would be a new specie of mountain gorilla. ALL meat has been shown to give some increase risk of cancer, but probably due to the rubbish we feed the animals.