Cholesterol

[Foxyhole]

Hi I got a reading of 6.8 and put on statins is this level high?

[stevejb1810]

Yes, it’s certainly higher than they would like to see (5 is the typical level at which statins become a serious consideration).

[Foxyhole in reply to stevejb1810]

I was 6.2 last November and my nurse said keep my eye on diet which I did and it jumped to 6.8 in 10 months I then took heart attack

[Disciple5451]

Yes that would be classed as high new guild lines are 4 mine was high but life style changes brought it down to 4 now with stagings even lower

[Foxyhole in reply to Disciple5451]

It was 6.2 last November and nurse told me to keep eye on my diet. It jumped to 6.8 I then took a heart attack

[bobaxford in reply to Disciple5451]

Please can you advise what changes did you make to bring it down?

[MichaelJH Heart Star]

Yes, and at that level you are unlikely to be able to get it down to the healthy range by lifestyle changes alone. Having already been stented your cholesterol level needs to be reduced to try and prevent a recurrence.

[Foxyhole in reply to MichaelJH]

Thanks I’m on statins but didn’t realise I would still need to watch diet, I eat low fat anyway and have porridge most mornings

[jimmyq in reply to Foxyhole]

Try removing all animal products (meat, milk and derivatives, eggs, fish) from your diet. I did and my cholesterol went down to 2.7. I miss the cheese but then I used to sit eating cheese on crackers while watching telly. No wonder my arteries blocked up!

[MichaelJH Heart Star]

This article also discusses cholesterol levels. Having a cardiac history the target is 4.0 or below.

nhs.uk/conditions/high-chol...

[MK1954]

Morning Foxy,

I think anything above 5 is considered a high reading.

[IgottaStent]

Read the blog or the book on the “Great Cholesterol con “ by Dr Malcom Kendrick. The blog has great and authoritative support. For me statins were a disaster . Aches , fatigue, depression And I tried most of them. I would initiate dietary changes first, such as intermittent fasting.

[Foxyhole in reply to IgottaStent]

Thanks ill check it out

[Rob6868 in reply to IgottaStent]

Completely agree with you

The big cholesterol farce that most people are getting themselves all wrapped up in.....cholesterol isn't the bad guy everyone seems to think it is.

Try listening to Dr Eric berg for starters

[jimmyq]

See my previous post. My doctor has taken me off the statins.

[epiphone]

I wonder if this is about net readings, as no one mentions it. Sorry if you already know that, you have two types of cholesterol, good and bad. The good score should be deducted from the bad, and your true level is what's left. I have a bad score of 7, and a good score of 3.5, so my cholesterol reading is 3.5.

[jobe1968 in reply to epiphone]

The ratio of hdl to total cholesterol is I think your point. And it is the total non hdl cholesterol divided by hdl. I think the terms good and bad as relating to cholesterol are a misnomer, We use all types in the body. And it is possible to have hdl which is not the good type to complicate matters. Particle size and density play a role also.

Hdl and total cholesterol ratio, I read is thought to give a better indication of risk. But lipid levels are important also. And elevated readings are not helpful.

A value of over 6 for this ratio is considered high risk. About 3.5 is considered good.

I think impossible to do this topic justice on here best source is your lipids clinician and possibly some background reading.

On my bloods report the following are reported

HDL

LDL calculated

Total Cholesterol

Cholesterol ratio.

The ratio is the one that gives the relationship between HDL and cholesterol. Below is conversion information between us and euro measures. Useful as a lot of the information comes from the USA

How to convert

To convert from one to the other please use the following formula:-

To convert cholesterol levels:-

Cholesterol mg/dl = mmol/l x 38.6 Cholesterol mmol/l = mg/dl ÷ 38.6

To convert triglyceride levels:-

Triglyceride mg/dl = mmol/l x 88.5 Triglyceride mmol/l = mg/dl ÷ 88.5

Examples

Cholesterol 5 mmol/l = 193 mg/dl (ie 5 X 38.6) Cholesterol 3 mmol/l = 116 mg/dl (ie 3 X 38.6) Triglyceride 2mmol/l = 177mg/dl ( ie 2 X 88.5)

[Foxyhole in reply to jobe1968]

Thanks for the great detail

[pinnelli]

Yes the ratio is key, however there are other benefits to taking statins post HA. My cholesterol was low before my HA & is very low now, less than 3. However my cardiologist said there’s evidence that statin can help keep plaques supple . So whilst he reduced my statin to 20mgs and may take me off them completely one day he suggest benefits outweigh negatives for now. Though as I had my HA at 46 I’m concerned re long term use & links to dementia. But there’s conflicting research there.

On statins generally to manage type 2 diabetes I strongly believe in diet & excercise and that they are over subscribed to folks he aren’t honest about that.

[MichaelJH Heart Star in reply to pinnelli]

I was also told that it stabilises the plaque significantly reducing the chances of a piece breaking away with potentially serious consequences. However, I get the impression that some think it is a drug to allow the eating of cheese and cooked breakfasts!

[pinnelli in reply to MichaelJH]

You are right. Exactly my point. I saw programme on tv where doctor couldn’t understand why GPS so readily prescribed. He ran a trial with patients and got them to take half hour walk 5 days per week with him for x many months and a massive cohort came out of type 2 risk.

As for us HA survivors yep there arrived those benefits. My arteries are ‘prestine’ So cardiologist can only assume some plaque broke away causing blood clot. He suggested in developed countries most of us will have plaques sat on artery wall. Fact of our lifestyles. But they don’t know why one ruptures. For me it may have been the endurance exercise! PerhPs I should have realised I was 46 & not 26 anymore - I blame Srava!!

[PhilGM]

Think there should be a large scale review including trials on an independent basis paid for by the drug companies but not controlled or linked in any way to them. Diabetes is not the only problem, when the liver’s natural processes are suppressed it may be hampered in its ability to fight cancer and in the production CoQ10 which protects the heart. The fact that the liver is known to be compromised is demonstrated by the regular blood tests for liver function ordered for statin users. Have also seen figures banded about that half of HA sufferers have normal Cholesterol levels. It is obvious that having high levels of bad cholesterol is not a healthy situation. Mine was over nine but with life style changes and statins got it down to 4.6. My sister is a very healthy eater and fitness fanatic but has a reading of 6.0. Some families just have higher levels of a substance needed to carry out essential repairs throughout the body. I think the body’s inflammatory response is the real problem and should be addressed before anything else.