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Tuesday, November, 24, 2009
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Total cholesterol is 228 (LDL 141) (HDL 74) Ratio is good. Do I need medication?

Jim Murtaugh
09/18/08
Jim Murtaugh
Topics:High Cholesterol

My most recent Lab test showed the following results for my blood work.

 

Total cholesterol:  228

Triglyerides: 65

HDL Cholesterol: 74

LDL Cholesterol: 141

 

Calculated ratios:

 

Total cholesterol to HDL = 3.08 (>4.5 = good)

LDL to HDL = 1.90 (>2.5 = ideal)

Triglyerides to HDL = .087 (>2.0 = ideal)

 

My ratios are good to ideal but my doctor recommends a low dose of Zocor to bring LDL below 130.  I really value my doctors advice but I want to avoid medication if possible.

 

Personal Profile:  Male age 61.  I eat very little red meat, exercise 3 -4 times a week and my weight stays between 169 to 173.  Bad Habits: coffee with cream (2 -3 daily), red wine daily (8 oz.), and cookies.

 

Do you have any alternative recommendations that I can discuss with my doctor?

 

Thanks, Jim

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Answers (2)
Neil MD
Neil MD
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Neil MD is a physician in internal medicine.

Friday, September 19, 2008

Hello Jim,

 

I agree with your doctor about lowering your LDL.  Though your ratios are good, evidence still suggests that the lower your LDL the less likely your are to suffer from heart disease.

 

A few other things to consider.  

 

One, you should stop smoking if you smoke.  Also, you should restrict your daily fat intake to no more than about 25% of your daily calories.  Try eating more green leafy vegetables, increasing soluble fiber, and eat more fish (try for about 2 times per week).

  

I absolutely understand people's hesitancy to take medications.  We are constancy alerted to the fact that medications have side effects, and hear so much in the media about "dangerous" drugs.  

 

Part of the the reason that medications require a prescription is so that a responsible physician can counsel you to the drug's proper uses, WEIGH THE BENEFITS AND DRAWBACKS of a particular drug, and monitor its side effects.  As far as drugs go, the statin class of medications is remarkably safe.  

 

If you redouble your efforts to get exercise 4x a week for at least 40 minutes, modify your diet as above and you can't get your cholesterol down, I'd trust your physician and take their advice about medication usage.  That's what you pay them for!

 

To your health,

Neil MD

mike
Thursday, April 09, 2009

hello jim,

You need not worry for the  high cholesterol. you should use maxican tricor medicine for control high cholesterol. You should use tricor medicine for the disease, tricor is perfect medicine for the high cholesteol. you can get the more information and buy online tricor from http://www.squaremeds.com/articles/buy-maxican-tricor-for-reduce-cholesterol-andtriglycerides-in-theblood.htm.

 

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