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Hi Anne, If statins don't work for you, there is new generation of PCSK9 inhibitors what lower cholesterol very effectively. Praluent and Repatha are two such drugs. You may also want to have your lp(a) tested.

Hi astle, Good to hear you will get an Inspiris valve, first on this board. If you outlive the lifespan of the valve, you could get TAVR without OHS. What kind of symptoms you have now? What are your mean and peak gradients? What's the aortic valve area? Best wishes, John

Hi Anne, Thank you very much for the links! You are right it's called "collateral". My LAD is collateralized from RCA. I just do not know how sufficient it is. A few weeks ago, I still have the symptoms - chest pain, short of breath, angina etc. These symptoms are less common now after taking...

Hi Caroline, Thank you for your concerns. But I am not a smoker. Hi Nocturne, I called and asked my family doctor to prescribe lp(a) test. I received test results for Lipoprotein fractionation. The results show I am not a high risk of CVD. I need to redo the test for lp(a). As an update to...

Thanks "Doctor" Nocturne! You are so knowledgeable in this topic, you deserve the title! I felt so terrible about myself that I did not push for a cardiac catheterization exam. I knew my CAC was out of range but I didn't know it's so extreme. Last February, I met a doctor and a retired nurse on...

Hi Dr Nocturne, What you described is a very likely cause. I did a CT scan 3.5 years ago. My calcium score was 777,mainly on the left side: Left Main 193, LAD 473, LC 106. My cardiologist did not ask me to do angiogram because she thought it's invasive. I haven't had Lp(a) tested but I will...

Thanks Steve, I agree with your logics. There are risks not replacing it immediately just like there are risks replacing it too soon. My surgeon decided to postpone my surgery so we could be on the same page. MIDCAB for LAD is something we are discussing.

It is simple. I have CAD. I need to eat more green vegetable to prevent calcification of my arteries and heart tissues.

"eat healthy ... it'll save your life." Pell, I do not consider sausage healthy. It is processed food with a lot of saturated fat and cholesterol. I would stay away from it. Best, John

Hi Pell, thanks for the picture illustrations. I do not weigh my food yet but I might do that if I have to control VitK intake. I eat cooked vegetable and I could easily finish a bowel of cooked green vegetable every day. So I eat much more vegetable than you do no pun intended). My son's friend...

Hi Pell, My son has a friend who did both AVR and MVR with mechanic valves at an age of 20. He said he had changed his diet to eating more meat than vegetable. How much (weight) green vegetable do you eat each day? Thanks, John

Today I met my surgeon and here are the main points of the meeting: 1. The symptoms I have are most likely related to coronary artery disease. 2. If not for CABG, I probably could wait for 5 years before doing AVR (I hate to part my native valve too early) 3. However American Heart...

Thanks David.

Agian, Thanks for recommending additional blood tests. My HDL: 82, TRIG: 72, LDL: 88.

Dick: Thank you for sharing your life stories! You are living a full life and some! Pell: Thanks for the responses! Agian: No, they did not tell me why my arteries were blocked. Me: BP 11/70, no diabetes, underweight, normal cholesterol. Maybe it's because of stress or genetics which are hard...

Hi Pell, I am glad you are living a full life. Warfarin is not only thing i worry about. The risk of getting stroke is a more important concern. I know the risk is low and stroke happens in patients with tissue valve implantation, but it's a real risk. BTW, what happen if you get a cut? Is it...

Hi Anne, Thank you for the suggestions. That's what on my mind too except I might not do mechanical valve because I am so easy getting cuts in hands as I cook/DIY at home. I hope I only need one CABG as I do not have the risk factors and my cholesterol level is normal (HDL 82, LDL 88). I also...

You are welcome! I also benefited a lot from VR.org. Just an update to my status: I am asking my surgeon whether it makes senses to postpone AVR as the structure of my av is pretty much stable over last three years. Mildly calcified leaflets, 1.1 cm2 opening. Gradients did deteriorate from a...

Thanks Dick and Anne for your comments. Anne, i am surprised it took so long to launch the product. As my surgeon said the concept is sound but it still needs be proved in clinics.

Sorry VR does not allow me to attach a picture. The Fig 3 in the paper is the one I want to attach.