I've battled high cholesterol for as long as I can remember (I'm 50 yo). My doc has always tried prescribing a statin drug to help manage the number (I've resisted). If it matters, I am 281 mg/dL, triglycerides 162, HDL 53, LDL 192, non HDL cholesterol 228. Average weight (207 lbs, 5' 10") with no history of diabetes. When I'm religious with exercise and diet, the lowest I recall my cholesterol is 217. My family (Dad's side) has extensive history with heart disease.
This morning I had a CT heart scan done to measure calcium build-up in my arteries. From the test results (lower numbers == no build-up):
Your Coronary Artery Calcium Score is: 2
Left main 2
Left anterior descending 0
Left ci rcumflex 0
Right coronary 0
Posterior descending 0
Total Score: 0
Percentile Score: 50th That means 50 percent of the males at the ages from 46 to 50 will have a
higher calcium score than you .
Diagnosis :Minimal identifiable calcified plaque burden
Impression: Probability of significant coronary artery disease is very unlikely less than 10%.
Implications for cardiovascular risk are low
So, I've resisted the Statins because I feel like my cholesterol number is specific to me. Meaning, just because, statistically, my number is "high", it doesn't mean the my individual risk of plaque build-up is any more significant as my body likes to "run" at 281. I feel like this CT scan further confirms that line of thinking. Just because someone tests "high" does not mean they are likely to have more plaque build-up in their arteries. Correlations does not imply causation. It's a good indicator but other tests should be performed to further understand the extent of the potential.
So, my question: Am I nuts? Do I continue resisting Statins? Keep working on my fitness and avoid taking these things? Is my theory of an individual's ability to process cholesterol (and implied plaque build-up) solid? Or am I nuts?
Lastly, yes, I hate prescriptions. I take nothing now. Aside from daily vitamins and supplements.
This morning I had a CT heart scan done to measure calcium build-up in my arteries. From the test results (lower numbers == no build-up):
Your Coronary Artery Calcium Score is: 2
Left main 2
Left anterior descending 0
Left ci rcumflex 0
Right coronary 0
Posterior descending 0
Total Score: 0
Percentile Score: 50th That means 50 percent of the males at the ages from 46 to 50 will have a
higher calcium score than you .
Diagnosis :Minimal identifiable calcified plaque burden
Impression: Probability of significant coronary artery disease is very unlikely less than 10%.
Implications for cardiovascular risk are low
So, I've resisted the Statins because I feel like my cholesterol number is specific to me. Meaning, just because, statistically, my number is "high", it doesn't mean the my individual risk of plaque build-up is any more significant as my body likes to "run" at 281. I feel like this CT scan further confirms that line of thinking. Just because someone tests "high" does not mean they are likely to have more plaque build-up in their arteries. Correlations does not imply causation. It's a good indicator but other tests should be performed to further understand the extent of the potential.
So, my question: Am I nuts? Do I continue resisting Statins? Keep working on my fitness and avoid taking these things? Is my theory of an individual's ability to process cholesterol (and implied plaque build-up) solid? Or am I nuts?
Lastly, yes, I hate prescriptions. I take nothing now. Aside from daily vitamins and supplements.
