Talk about getting old! Each and every day I take 14 different drugs and supplements for a total of 25 pills to fight my heart disease. Anybody else who wants bragging rights feel free to comment and claim your throne as the king of pill takers. If nothing else it will make the rest of us feel better. So, just what is old HeartHawk taking? Well, here is the list with a little descriptive commentary on why. As always, consult your physician before taking any new drug or supplement

Niacin (3g): Perhaps the most underappreciated supplement niacin lowers bad cholestrol (LDL), raises good cholestrol (HDL - probably better than any prescription agent), lowers triglycerides, and is about the only good agent for lowering lipoprotein(a) (lp(a) is what's trying to kill me) and it is cheap. It also shifts LDL particle size toward the less deadly large size. I choke down 3, 1 gram horse pills every day. I take a prescription brand called Niaspan because I take so much and it has a lower incidence of side effects.

Rosuvastatin (5mg): Sold under the brand name Crestor, it is one of the newest and most effective statin drugs available for lowering LDL. It also modestly raises HDL. I buy it in 10mg form but split the pills and take 5mg per day (it's that effective and cheaper)

Doxycline Hyclate (20mg twice daily): Doxycycline is an old antibiotic with a number of novel uses including periodontal disease at the dose I take.  However, I take it because doxycycline is also a potent inhibitor of Matrix-Metalloproteinase an enzyme thought to degrade the heart plaque protective cap and make it prone to rupture.  As an interesting side effect, my dental hygienist was amazed at how little gunk she had to clean off my teeth at my last visit!

Esomeprazole (40mg): You know, the little purple pill -Nexium.  I take 40mg of Nexium daily because all that other stuff upsets my stomach. Great, I take pills to counteract the other pills. Wait, it gets better! Read the next entry.

Co-Q10 (150mg): Good old Co-enzyme Q10. I take 150mg per day to counteract the muscle pain and weakness induced by statins. Hey, it works and is generally good for you anyway.

Fish Oil (5g EPA/DHA): This is the motherlode of all supplements and I take six honking 900mg pills per day to get what I need.  It does everything - reduces inflammation, clotting, lowers triglycerides and small LDL particles. If you take only one supplement, make sure it's this one. In one study it lowered risk of heart attack death by 45%.  My reason for taking such a large dose is that a recent study also found it reduces Lipoprotein(a) - the scourge of my heart health!

Aspirin (162.5mg): Need I say more. Unless your doctor advises against it - take it.  I used to take 325mg per day but my tummy rebelled!

Vitamin B Complex: I take this mostly as a hedge against homocysteine. The link here is growing tenuous but heck, I've been taking it for 6 six years. It's a habit.

Vitamin C: The same goes for Vitamin C. Despite the shaky claims of Drs. Linus Pauling and Mathias Rath (kinda kooky in my opinion) the evidence for Vitamin C is just not that strong. But, it is a cheap anti-oxidant and at least I know I won't get scurvy! I take 1000mg per day.