It's total cholesterol in mmol/L.

From BUPA: If your cholesterol levels are currently between 4.0-5.5 mmol/L, this is still considered within the limits of the normal range.

So converted to American units 212. Same number as me... But what really matters is HDL:ldl and HDL: triglycerides. My HDL is @ 100 so perfect ratio. (1). If it was 20 HDL : 100 ldl , a rato of 5, that would be very bad

Yeh, I'd didn't see that break down though. Not even sure it's a standard thing here as GPs only ever seem to refer to total cholesterol, which I know is less than helpful.

As for a full copy of your blood profile test. It's a terrible metric statin pharma industry placed anything above 200 is bad, when the truly sick are 300 and above

my most recent was 244, about where it has been for years and according to testing done, my arteries are still clear and unclogged, at least at time of heart cath procedure before heart surgery :)

About cholesterol and statins. Without wishing to go too far off piste, I'm a GP in the UK and we are currently encouraged to work to the following guideline:


"Offer lipid-modification therapy to people aged 84 years and younger if their estimated 10-year risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) using the QRISK assessment tool is 10% or more"


Cholesterol level is one factor considered by QRISK. It's not the most important factor either. Age and sex are. Others include ethnicity, postcode (yes postcode), smoking status, height and weight, blood pressure and the presence or absence of a list of medical conditions like diabetes, kidney disease, atrial fibrillation.

It is possible, and in fact very common, to have a "normal" cholesterol level but still be at risk of heart disease- because of these other factors.


What this means is that you don't always need to have high cholesterol, to benefit from cholesterol-lowering medication.

It's hard to sell this idea, in my experience! Particularly to athletes, when the evidence comes from a population likely to be much less fit and active.

Thanks for that Fruit Thief.

Yeh I think the statins are because he suspects some hereditary CAD due to the worsening PVCs with exercise. I assume that's what the cardiac scan is to identify? I just couldn't tolerate the atorvastatin and my GP just said not to worry for now and didn't prescribe another.

Blood pressure is fine don't smoke or drink, my postcode of birth is not good (Teesside) though I've been in Shetland 9 years now, major thing is my Dad died at 53 with PAD and others in family had circulation issues, but also smoked and drank.

My med issue is the bisoprolol beta blocker and I'm going back again to ask to try another as even with a lower dose (1.25mg) I'm getting chest tightness and now realise a dry cough I've had may be due to it too.

When I've tried to speak to my consultant about me struggling with my meds his secretary has just said to speak to my GP. I'm neither happy nor impressed and still got 2.5 months until I get my scan and hopefully find out more.

Consensus is obviously to follow my orders for no exercise (consultant said keep hr under 90bpm) , but that's hardly beneficial mental or physical health either.

2.5 months of inactivity > Death...Just sayin’

Take this as a message from a higher power that you’re due a break from training and take it in stride. Be positive about the situation.

Quite a terrible assessment. For instance if one post code gentrifies, cleaning up the community ... They still would get a bad score

Wow. Statins for a total cholesterol of 212. That seems a bit extra. Of course like you say it depends on his HDL/LDL ratio.

One thing no one has pointed out yet -- the answer to your question: Yes, you (and all of us) ARE going to die.





Eventually.


Now, will it because of your OP -- that remains to be seen. But heck, someone needs to point out the elephant in the room/internet.

:)

Still alive!

But, yes heading in that direction as surely as we all are :)

Hello prefersdirt and All,

Not to contradict your statement as I agree current humans will continue to die and not be imortal

However ..... https://futurism.com/...ert-person-1000-born

Excerpts:

“The fact is, aging kills 110,000 people worldwide every fucking day,” de Grey reportedly said.

“It unequivocally causes far more suffering than anything else that we have to experience and contrary to the impression that most of humanity has forced itself into, it’s indeed a problem which is amenable through technological intervention.”

This year alone, there have already been significant breakthroughs in the realm of anti-aging research. In August, researchers discovered a molecule capable of combating the effects of aging. In October, a new stem cell treatment led to “striking” ant-aging results.

Much more recently are the efforts made by researchers from the University of Exeter, who developed a way to reverse aging in cells, as well as the discovery of an anti-aging genetic mutation. This is all good news, especially when you take into account de Grey’s belief that aging is one of humanity’s biggest challenges.

If or when humanity determines how to reject aging, de Grey foresees the development of rejuvenation clinics that will address seven issues related to aging: tissue atrophy, cancerous cells, mitochondrial mutations, death-resistant cells, extracellular matrix stiffening, extracellular aggregates, and intracellular aggregates.


Unsurprisingly, such clinics — and, presumably, other treatments — are expected to be expensive at first before potentially becoming more publicly accessible and affordable. By then, perhaps anti-aging treatments might be as simple to get as scheduling a doctor’s or dentist’s appointment, though who can say how involved such treatments and processes will be.

============================

Also

https://www.vanityfair.com/...llars-for-teen-blood

---

Cheers, Neal

+1 mph Faster

Synthetic - it's controversial. For example, if the guidelines were followed to the letter then every healthy 75 year old man in the country would be offered medication to lower their risk of developing heart disease. Even those with a monastic lifestyle and low cholesterol. As I understand it, the argument for doing this is that across the population. less men aged 75-85 would die of heart disease. That's a step too far for a lot of people (including me) but I'm interested in your reason for saying it's terrible.

I think the issue with postcode, is that there is enough evidence to make an association on a population level. Same is true with all sorts of things - having the skin condition psoriasis for example. You can look at an inidividual and say it makes no sense, but when you look at a group of 10000 individuals sharing an attribute (postal district or presence of psoriasis) there's a correlation. Working with that knowledge is better than ignoring it more than 50% of the time, so you work with it. I think that's how the argument goes.

So, 4 weeks today still until my coronary scan...

I spent Monday and Tuesday in the local hospital getting tests and monitoring after suffering what was angina from Friday (out on the hills for work) and through the weekend. I'm on new meds now, calcium channel blockers, but this event hasn't helped me jump the queue to my scan.

I've also found out that they stopped my tread mill stress test as I was showing signs of angina on the ECG trace (wasn't told that at the time) and also that it's not an electrical issue. They expect it to be CAD.

Nothing like a spell in hospital to actually get to speak to your consultant lol!

UPDATE
Just back from the cardiologist after my cardiac MRI in January and I’ve now been diagnosed with microvascular heart disease as the cause of the ectopics and chest and neck discomfort.
I’ve got to take the small asprin and low dose of atorvastatin and verapamil to hopefully dilate the capilaries and so control/reduce the ectopics and chest and neck discomfort.
Good news is I can exercise un-restricted as long as I don’t feel dizzy or get palpitations when doing it.
Check up in 3 months to see how I’m tolerating the statins and calcium channel blockers and if they are easing the symptoms.

Better get training then!

Did anyone talk to you about the relationship between exercise intensity and the risk of having a cardiac event, especially with your history of a ventricular arrhythmia?

"Training" is probably not wise. Low intensity exercise is probably your safest bet.

Hi ThisIsIt, no the cardiologist didn't.

I asked if I could exercise and I asked if there were any restrictions on effort or intensity. He said no to both, carry on as you would have before as long as there's no issue with dizzyness or palpitations while doing it.

What would you class as low level exercise?

My max hr is 182, resting about 54.

Most of my riding would be classed as endurance but some steep hills and bikepacking type stuff. Along with that hiking often on rough ground. I do do intervals when on the turbo.

Cheers

Back on the horse.
Congrats.
Take it steady... no point snapping your achilles 1st week back. That would be annoying.

I was going through this thread and forgot that it was from awhile ago. I was formulating in my head what to say, take a baby aspirin, train low HR's, and somehow try and get that scan earlier. I now realize you are in an area where it may be limited, around here I can just go any day and get one. Have to pay the $150 myself, but it takes 15 minutes, you can make an appt, or just walk in, but you can get it right away. IS that an option for you?

The other piece of advice is to look at your blood labs, hopefully you have a handful of them at your disposal. How is your Mag, how is your sodium, what about potassium? All those things if either too high, or too low can affect heart rhythms. I got thrown into my bad one with super low mag/sodium being a huge contributor. And because we train and sweat that stuff out at a much higher rate than regular folks, it is often a trigger for this stuff. I have counseled dozens who ended up taking mag supplements and it helped with their A-fib episodes.

Anyway just some things you could do in the meantime while waiting, and it helps you learn more about the whole process going on, and what affects things have on your heart and rhythm...

I'm afraid the answer is yes, you are going to die.

Almost a year later! Did you take the scan in May? And then somehow they wanted a cardiac MRI as well, which took place in January? Did anything happen in between? Good to hear you are good to go on exercising though.

Speak for yourself. I've cheated it once again. So far death has a goosegg on the old Hampster.

Yeh it's been a long road to A combination of the struggles of the UK NHS system and the fact that I live on a remote island.

It was a further 8 months of waiting for my cardiac MRI after i was referred to it after the ct angiogram and calcium scoring, and then 2 months for the results and meeting with the cardiologist today. In total slightly over 2 years from when I first presented with issues.

WRT bloods, all I know is my electrolytes are OK, cholesterol is at the upper end of normal and my bloody pressure is fine.

Hopefully with the meds my symptoms will reduce and I can enjoy biking and hiking again.