Should I be concerned?

[EG7ash]

I am 69 with cholesterol level 6 and fairly low blood pressure which the GP says is very good. Both my younger brothers have recently had stents inserted and I am concerned that I may be at risk as my dad died with a heart attack at 69. I do not have any chest pain but I do get unusually tired often, belch a lot and sometimes dizzy.

[Penel]

Hi EG7ash

Your levels sound fine. Have you managed to talk to your gp about your worries? I guess any risk will depend on why the men in your family have had problems.

I have low blood pressure and used to get dizzy after a meal or if I got up too quickly. I found that I had to make sure to drink enough water through the day and not to eat too many carbohydrates at one go. Some people are advised to eat more salt, you would need to ask your gp about that. I have also found that regular exercise seems to help, and my dizzy turns are now rare.

The belching sounds as though you are eating something that disagrees with you. Does your stomach swell as well? It may be bread that is affecting you. You could try keeping a diary to see if you can spot any problem foods.

Talk to your gp to set your mind at rest.

[sandybrown]

Hello Eg7ash,

You need to understand all the cholesterols, total, LDL,HDL and triglyceride. Also you blood sugar level. I have a different of looking at cholesterol levels, I am 67 and I am concerned!

For the last tow two years have been keeping record of all levels. Have discussion with your GP for full medical check including a EGC, NHS can do all the tests. Life-line screening is another method of checks but there is cost, they offer packages and it is value for money. Look at life style change to reduce the total cholesterol, Internet is full of information.

Good luck.

[Hidden]

There a number of risk factors for heart disease, and cholesterol level is just one of them. Join Patient.uk - patient.co.uk/ and go through with the questions about yourself.

[patch14]

There are several reasons for belching and dizziness. The first could be that there is something in your diet that affects you and fills you with "wind". Also you could be bolting your food and swallowing too much air. Eat slowly, enjoy your meals and keep a diary for a month or so and see what could be causing the "wind".

Does your dizziness have something to do with your getting up from your bed or chair? Don't rush it. Sit on the edge of the bed or chair and stand up slowly. If the dizziness occurs at odd times without any reason it should be looked into. It may just be your blood pressure dropping and making you lightheaded.

[EG7ash]

Thanks for all who answered my question and sorry that I didn't respond until now. I finished up spending a day last week in the hospital getting all the usual tests for a possible heart attack. After suffering severe pain in my back following a walk with my dog a found myself on the kitchen floor being attended to by paramedics. No heart problems were found and I'm now trying to find the cause through my GP. I cannot understand why MRI scans are not used in cases like mine and intend to push for one.