Pfft...

[Nocturne]

So my wife comes home with her latest cholesterol numbers yesterday. Understand that my wife always weighed more than I did, and is shorter than I am. She lost about 20 pounds as I lost my 60, and is still obese but is undergoing gastric bypass surgery next month. I'm supportive, but other than potential health risks I am fine with her the way she is.

Anyway, her LDL matches mine at 86, as does her HDL at 38. But I eat like a bird now and walk for 45 minutes a day, and take a statin, whereas she does not.

We know her HDL is very bad for a woman, but her doc thinks the very low LDL mitigates this.

I have to admit that I'm jealous. She still weighs more than I did at my heaviest, and is shorter than me, and has FAR better cholesterol numbers by virtue of -- genetics? God's gift?

I call shenanigans. I want a heart mulligan.

 

[epstns]

I have a similar situation with my sister. I am nowhere near overweight (5'8", about 155 lbs.) while she is quite obese (5'3", about 300 lbs.), yet her heart, vascular system, arteries, cholesterol stats, etc. are all better than mine - and hers without medication. Go figure. . .

 

[honeybunny]

I'd be jealous, too. Genetics does play a part.

 

[Paleowoman]

I have a similar situation with my sister. I am nowhere near overweight (5'8", about 155 lbs.) while she is quite obese (5'3", about 300 lbs.), yet her heart, vascular system, arteries, cholesterol stats, etc. are all better than mine - and hers without medication. Go figure. . .

There are a number of doctors these days who say that heart and vascular problems are not especially related to cholesterol, diet or weight which is why two people with the same 'numbers' don't get the same heart/vascular problem.

Dr Malcolm Kendrick is now in his 20th 'episode' of 'What causes heart disease': https://drmalcolmkendrick.org

I'll just quote one particular bit which addresses Nocturne's question of genetics (and Honeybunny's !)

.....one of Popper’s (Karl Popper philosopher) circular arguments. A statement that relies on itself to prove itself. Similar to the argument used when a young person, with no traditional risk factors for heart disease has a heart attack. ‘"Oh, it must be genetic.’"

"​‘How do you know it is genetic?’"

"‘Well, they have no risk factors, and had a heart attack, so it must be genetic.’"

Yes, indeed, it must be genetic… not. Try again.....

 

[Agian]

Maybe they need to check more numbers Paleogirl. High LDL Cholesterol is a potent contributor to CAD; but there are NUMEROUS other risk factors that often go unchecked:
Lipoprotein (a), homocysteine, CRP, Low DHEA HDL Testosterone, diabetes, prediabetes, obesity, post meal 'lipid surge' etc etc.
"There are a number of doctors these days who say that heart and vascular problems are not especially related to cholesterol" That's nonsense. Try telling that to people with Familial Hypercholesterolaemia.

 

[Paleowoman]

"There are a number of doctors these days who say that heart and vascular problems are not especially related to cholesterol" That's nonsense. Try telling that to people with Familial Hypercholesterolaemia.

None of the docs I've read have siad that Familial Hypercholesterol" isn't a problem. FH is actually quite rare and of course it is a risk factor for heart disease, even children with FH can get serious heart issues though they've found that many people with FH have lived long lives without any heart issues - there's more to it than meets the eye. Here fromthe British Medical Journal: http://www.bmj.com/rapid-response/20...olesterolaemia

The benefits of familialhypercholesterolaemia
The NICE guidelines for familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) are based on the commonly accepted view that early
coronary heart disease in FH is caused by high cholesterol.1Several
observations indicate that it is not that simple.
First, studies including only people with FH
have shown that both the prevalence and future cardiovascular disease are
independent on their blood cholesterol level;2-7in one of the
studies mean cholesterol was even lowest in those who had coronary heart
disease (CHD).6 In accordance, cholesterol lowering by ileal
surpass8or by non-statin drugs9has no effect in FH, indicating
that the small effect obtained with the statins is due to their pleiotropic
effects. Most likely, it is their effect on the coagulation system,10-12
as some of the strongest risk factors in FH are high fibrinogen, highfactor VIII,13andhigh
prothrombin,7because people with FH may have other genetic
aberrations as well.7This interpretation fits well with the fact
that atherosclerosis in FH is mainly located to arteries that are exposed to
mechanical forces, while premature atherosclerosis is absent in the cerebral
arteries, even in homozygous FH.14,15
Even more surprising is that according to the The Simon Broome FH Register Group,
the mean life expectancy in FH is as long as for other people; more die from
CHD at a young age, but fewer die from cancer and other diseases later in life.16
These calculations were based on a selection of FH people with close relatives,
who had died early, and the authors therefore assumed that the prognosis would
have been even better for unselected individuals. Also, before 1900 their life
expectancy was longer than for the general population,17probably
because high cholesterol protects against infectious diseases,18the
commonest cause of death at that time.
Therefore, a more appropriate management of FH might be to evaluate the coagulation system
and to find appropriate means to correct possible abnormalities. People with FH
without such abnormalities should also be told that their high cholesterol is
an advantage. The peace of mind following this information should probably be
more beneficial for the prevention of CHD than any cholesterol lowering
measure.

The issue with "FH" is that is that some docs, especially ignorant GPs will say a person has FH when they simply have high cholesterol. FH is extremely high cholesterol and other abnormalities such as coagulation problems as above and can only be properly diagnosed with a genetic test. Last test in March my total cholesterol ws 9.7, that is 375 in US numbers - some docs would suggest I have FH. No I don't !

 

[Agian]

The issue with "FH" is that is that some docs, especially ignorant GPs will say a person has FH when they simply have high cholesterol. FH is extremely high cholesterol and other abnormalities such as coagulation problems as above and can only be properly diagnosed with a genetic test. Last test in March my total cholesterol ws 9.7, that is 375 in US numbers - some docs would suggest I have FH. No I don't !

Your cholesterol is high because you have a high HDL, which is protective. If cholesterol wasn't an issue, then having a high HDL would be meaningless.
People with FH also have high Lipoprotein (a), the author missed that one. Statins mainly lower Cholesterol, and don't address most of the other associated risk factors.
The article seems to be an opinion piece on the NICE Guidelines, not the guidelines themselves; written by an 'independent researcher' (no qualifications listed), from Sweden. Something akin to a 'Dear Editor' letter. But I agree, BMJ is in the header, which might add to the prestige.

 

[Paleowoman]

Hi Aglan - the article was written by Dr Uffe Ravnskov, a Danish doctor, scientist, researcher: http://www.ravnskov.nu/uffe/ - he quoted loads of references at the end of that article which I didn't quote - take up too much space !

What I realise is interesting too from what he wrote about people with FH having coagulation abnormalities - I wonder if people on long term anti-coagulation therapy, such as yourself and others here with mech valves, are protected from heart disease to an extent ?

 

[Agian]

There's a lot of **** out there Paleogirl. We all need to be careful.

 

[Paleowoman]

Yes absolutely Aglan ! And keep an open and critical mind !