Is atherosclerosis reversible?

[Roosevelt44]

I am a 56 year old retired surgeon.  A calcium scan 2 years ago placed me at the 92nd percentile for age with a high plaque load.  A cath revealed 40% circulflex and 10% left anterior descending blockages.  I am hypertensive and on blood pressure meds and statins.  I weigh 148, work out like a dog and am on the Ornish diet.

The Ornish literature says that they have seen up to 8% reversal of blockages.  I also know of several anecdotal cases where patient were symptomatic and years later had dramatic improvement in their cath (collaterals maybe?).

So I am wondering, how reversible is cardiac disease if you apply the full court press (meds, diet, exercise, stress reduction).

Thanks.

Roosevelt44

[Flycaster305]

I have what is called very aggressive CAD, in a three year period I had seven stents and three heart attacks.  In the year 2000 I had my first heart attack and a single stent, and at that point I went on what would be considered the Ornish diet, no meat, but ate fish, preferably wild-caught salmon twice a week and worked out daily.  I've lost almost 50 pounds, but I'm larger than you, I'm tall and now weigh 190. My blockages were all in the 80% - 90% range when I had the stents, and I would get extreme angina attacks when the blockages were at that level.  I now have several blockages of 60% but I'm working out daily with zero angina, and believe the combination of Coreg and Ranexa plus fish oil are helping me a great deal.
We have to remember that severe blockages come on very, very quickly, usually from an inflamation of the arteries, as I have determined.  The inflamation allow a rupture of plaque and blood clots form which causes a blockages.  It's my belief that stress and a high fat diet both cause inflamation of the arteries, and exercise strengthens the heart as well as increases the HDL cholesterol which pushes the LDL along and keeps it from forming.
I wouldn't be here without the stents, I've had wonderful drug therapy, I've adopted a a healthy diet and exercise daily.  It was simply common sense, and at the fitness center where I work out are lots of us 70 year old guys who are in the same boat and use common sense to stay healthy.  I suggest you look at a broad range of treatment rather than a single approach, it has worked for me.  Keep us informed.

[Roosevelt44]

Thanks.  I do take fish oil and am on a Vegan diet (with Fish).  I think I will ask about severity of exercise in another post.  I know this is controversial.

Roosevelt44.

[rockcityaudiouk]

Sorry I meant to say DON'T push your heart past 149-150 BPM. (Spelling mistake)
John.

[rockcityaudiouk]

Hello,I'm sorry to hear of your problem.As you know there are two versions of the Dr Dean Ornish Diet one is preventive and one is for reversal.Your diet would obviously be for reversal.(less than 10% fat and no meat or dairy at all.)A vegan diet .
I encourage you to search on the net,all Dr Ornish,s results are published in peer reviewed studies and are widely accepted throughout the established medical profession.
Reversal of even severe CAD has been shown to be possible.I would also be cautious about working out very hard.I would only do "brisk walking".Ornish says that even after one month on his diet positive changes have been seen both by CT angiography and conventional Angiography.Ornish does not recommend stenting or bypass surgery.
The logical point of doing this diet is that you can be sure that diet wise you are doing the BEST diet according to what doctors know now,a diet that is the only diet that has been proven in studies to reverse heart disease.
Just be careful with those workouts and push your heart past 149 BPM.
you should always have a heart monitor when exercising,pop an aspirin(75mg).and take a fish oil every day.hope this helps.
take care.John.(UK