Arthersclerotic Heat Disease

[Davewm]

Good morning all.

I'm on the waiting list for Mitral Valve Repair at Essex Cardiothoracic Centre having been diagnosed with severe M V Prolapse. I've already had the Transosoph Echo & Lung Function tests.

Yesterday I went for an Angiogram expecting just the above to be confirmed.

I should say here that after a previous Angiogram in 2011 my arteries were clear and my chest pains were put down to unstable angina (Prinzmetal Angina).

When the consultant came to see me after the test yesterday I was stunned to be told that I have "significant disease in the proximal LAD and the circumflex"

Looking at the diagram he pointed out a "lesion (75-94%)" between OM1 and OM2 and also a lesion (50-74) in LAD.

Can anyone help me to understand these results. What do the figures 75-94 and 50-74 mean?

The consultant said that these problems would be treated at the same time as the Mitral Valve Repair is carried out.

He has also asked my GP to prescribe 10mg atovastatin. Once again I would ask if anyone has any comments on this prescription? I know absolutely nothing about statins but there seems to be some controversy regarding their use.

Thank you in anticipation of the fantastic help which I've been fortunate to receive before on this forum.

Regards

David

Ps I thought it may be useful to say that my cholesterol level is 3.9 - is that good or bad?

[MichaelJH Heart Star]

Morning Dave... The figured relate to the percentage of the artery blocked - these are always approximate as the deposits are not uniform along the length of the artery. I had four between 70% and 85% (LAD). 50% and below tends to be conservatively treated (medication and lifestyle). Your cholesterol is good (i.e. under 4.0) but the ratios are important also. You have been given quite s low dose of statin - I assume with the aim of reducing the bad cholesterol. Statins also reduce irritation often a precursor to plaque formation and stabilise it.

[Davewm in reply to MichaelJH]

Thank you Michael for your reply. It was most informative.

Kind regards

David