Reasonably active fit 70 year old not overweight, healthy diet, non drinker, all pipe work good according to Cardiologist. I did have valve repair 6 years ago. Every few months get odd runs of bi/trigeminy. Take 1.25 bisoprolol/day.
GP wants me to take statins as Colestrol is 6. Why??
I guess it’s because NICE guidelines require Doctors to discuss taking statins with patients once their cholesterol exceeds 4. It used to be 5, so I guess at 6 it should be a more serious consideration.
And they get points on their QOF results for every patient on statins. Good old Tony Blair!
I couldn’t agree with you more Bob!
Are you saying you have had normal coronary and carotid angiograms?
My Cardiologist surprised me. I said that I hadn't taken my statins for a fortnight and he commented " I'm not bothered whether you take them or not."
My Cardiologist when he saw them on my script list , just lifted his eyebrows and said why !
There is a really good book, called ‘The great cholesterol con’ which gives a good explanation for the reasons behind current cholesterol guidelines. I found my copy on Amazon!
Yes, by Malcolm Kendrick. Brilliant book, he has researched it really thoroughly. My GP got quite irate when I refused statins; tried to scare me with a CHD risk of 20%. When i checked it out, turns out that 20% is the basic figure for anyone of my age! And the calculator didn't even ask for the total cholesterol figure. Also care must be taken when combining with warfarin.
Also I have had almost permanent bigeminy since cardioversion ten months ago. Not favourite, but doesn't seem to do any harm. Cardiologist didn't seem bothered by it.
My GP talked me into starting statins at my last check up, since my level was 6 but she didn’t explain if this was the level of ‘bad’ cholesterol or the ratio of ‘good’ to ‘bad’. And it is the ratio that js important apparently.
But good or bad or ratio, I had to stop taking them because they caused awful muscle pain in my left leg. Apparently this is a known side effect.
I felt rather railroaded into taking them, especially as I had explained my plant based diet, including Alpro milk and yoghurt.
I am very similar to you...age, condition, mild valve leak.cholesterol 6...I'm female. I decided not to take statins for the reasons others have given,.We AFers vary so much in how we deal with these issues. .
2013 i was over 7 so I changed diet less fat, more fish and veg and salad. I also tried to get fit lost a stone and got to 5.8 and the GP was happy, no statin request. I did have more hdl (good cholesterol) than ldl ( bad ). They have not checked it since!. In fact, thinking about it, i better get a test done as all this was prior to AF.
On another note, I don't think it is realistic to keep dropping the targets for cholesterol or blood pressure, when the evidence suggests young people are getting more obese so the target is moving in the opposite direction to the reality (probably), it makes the target unobtainable so does not provide any motivation. All targets need to be achievable.
I always understood that age increased both cholesterol and blood pressure ( less flexible arteries for the latter). Not a doctor so maybe someone qualified can comment. However if I am right they may as well ask you to get younger as to ask you to improve your cholesterol .
So i expect you to be only 55 next week!
Take a pill.
In 1992 I started a new job. All staff had a cholesterol test as an info gathering exercise ( I was a nurse). My cholesterol was 6.1 and. "within normal range". I am still here and to placate my GP tried statins for 2 weeks last year. I have a gut feeling it's like margarine and butter and in due course common sense will prevail or yet another flawed bit of research will appear to line the pockets of the drug companies.
Please do not take this as advice but our bodies need a certain amount of cholesterol to function, especially the brain and at my age my brain needs all the help it can get!
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