I am 87, and have been told that my cholesterol level is 4.5 units. Is that too high or too low?

[Orvos]

I take the dog out every day for a mile or so, weigh 13st, +- 1 lb and gave up smoking in 1982. I complained about shortage of breath and that's how I found out about my cholesterol level.

[Mike262]

4.5 is very good Sir, my GP has target to get mine down below 4 which is recommended by cardiologists so you haven't got far to go! Keep taking the exercise and adjust your diet a little reduce or cut out cheese, crisps, pastries and eat plenty of fruit & fresh veg. Try oat bran on your cereals in the morning. If your short of breath ask your GP to refer you for an angiogram to check your coronary arteries for narrowing or blockages. It's possible then to have an angioplasty (stents inserted), but you might not want to put yourself through that?

[Orvos in reply to Mike262]

Thank you for taking the trouble to reply to my question. I shall take your advice.

Orvos and Bela (the dog)

[Aliwally]

Congratulations to you and your lucky dog! Your cholesterol level is fine, please don't worry about it and don't let anyone tell you to worry about it.

[Orvos in reply to Aliwally]

Thank you for taking the trouble to reply to my question. I shall take your advice.

Orvos and Bela (the dog)

[patch14]

What a great result! At 87 and still active with such a good result without any medication is magnificent. Carry on the good work and all the best

[Orvos in reply to patch14]

Thank you for taking the trouble to reply to my question. I shall take your advice.

Orvos and Bela (the dog)

[Orvos]

Thank you for taking the trouble to reply to my question. I shall take your advice.

Orvos and Bela (the dog)

[Orvos]

Thank you very much for taking the trouble to reply to my question.

Please don't take this amiss but I was not wholly convinced by the paper you were kind enough to suggest to me.

Orvos

[2squirrels]

It is absolutely spot on and you sound wonderful not only for your age but for any age keep enjoying yourself. The doctor was very remiss he should have told you how well you are doing.

[jollybean]

My understanding is that cholesterol increases slightly with age anyway and (i'm sure you know already) that exercise helps keeps cholesterol level down. To have a cholesterol level of 4.5 at 87 sounds pretty damn good and I only hope that I can achieve this too! Keep doing what you're doing, it is obviously working!

[Orvos in reply to jollybean]

Thank you for taking the trouble to reply to my question. I have been surprised by the up-beat tone of the answers and I now realise how lucky I am. I suppose that my body today is substantially due to my parentage plus the watchful eye my wife keeps on my mess tin! My advice to old blokes like me is to take up and work hard and regularly at something intellectual...aim to do The Times Crossword by 9:30 a.m. every week day morning, for example...have a target!

Orvos & Bela (the dog)

[volvodave]

Its perfect.