When should elevated cholesterol be treated?

[DeeCee257]

I am a 54 year old white male, 200 lbs. My father had severe coronary heart disease - which began about age 60. He died at age 70 from an M.I.
I have glucose intolerance- recent HbA1C - 6.7,  fasting glucose of 119. Not treated by medication.
Recent cholesterol was 211 , HDL 41, LDL 143, triglycerides 137.
At what point should treatment start for high cholesterol and glucose intolerance to prevent aterioschlerosis?

[Sweetwaterguy]

   Arthur Agatston, the author of "The South Beach Diet" and "The South Beach Heart Program" is a renown cardiologist.  In his South Beach Heart Program book he writes extensively about "aggressive prevention" of heart disease.  Aggressive management your blood pressure, diet,  triglycerides and cholesterol are strongly recommended in his book.  I would suggest having a discussion with your doctor about this concept, and if he/she does not agree, have him/her  defend the reasons why.  If still not satisfied, a second opinion is another option.  

[erijon]

I think that's a wise choice. They started me on meds (Vytorin) when I was 47 and my TC was 219, my LDL was 134 and my HDL was 39. The meds, along with life changes, worked great. My TC as of last fall was 151, LDL 58 and HDL 40, but my TRI's are still a bit high.

Good Luck,

Jon

[DeeCee257]

Thanks to you  both for your input- I will seek out another medical opinion! Better safe than sorry!  I kind of knew it in my heart - but my doc had no followup or recommendations - and I was feeling that this wasn't appropriate.

[jim62]

I'd be looking for another doctor.  Those numbers are way beyond the point of starting a treatment program, especially considering the genetics.  I would think a doctor would be wanting your ldl <70.

Bear in mind that I don't really think, deep in my little tattered heart. that what we do or don't do or our various numbers have a heck of a lot to do with heart disease.  I thinks it's just one of them things that we either get or don't get.

[erijon]

At your (our) age, I would think they would have started you by now. Your numbers are really not all that bad, the only number that stands out is your bad cholesterol (LDL) which should be under 130, but it may need to be lower if you are pre-diabetic, I think I would ask the doctor about that. Usually, when your only off by 11 points, they will reccommend lifestyle changes first, change in diet to reduce LDL and exercise to increase HDL. If that does not work then they will start you on some kind of med, normally a statin. Usually at our age they start you on meds first, especially if you have a family history. I would be asking my doctor some questions or getting a second opinion.

God luck,

Jon

[DeeCee257]

This MD is an internist - and he is Board Certified in Internal Medicine.
Thanks for the input.

[Pointman]

Get another DR! i sugest starting with a good interenest. one that is Board certified.

[DeeCee257]

Um, I'm not a doctor and I can't prescribe for myself. I just get the results mailed to me and my doctor does not want to see me again until 3 mos. to recheck my HbA1C.
So, no - nothing has been ordered and no follow up from the M.D.

[jim62]

You ain't started yet ??