Question about cholesterol
Quote:
>What is the latest thought on cholesterol and cardiovascular
>disease? Is total cholesterol alone a risk factor, or
>does a sufficiently high HDL level remove the risk?
>Also, if someone wants to reduce cholesterol with {*filter*}
>like Levacor is there any significant downside to be considered?
>Thanks for your comments.
As a lay person who has ben reading intensely on this subject for
several years, I believe that the leading view is that:
the ratio of total cholesterol to HDL is the best predictor of
future coronary heart disease. Thus, a ratio of say, 170/60 or
less than 3 would be ideal; values over 4.5 should be a matter
of concern.
Downside to the statins? Well, cost, for one thing. Roughly
$50 a month forever. Most physicians, I think, would not
prescribe them for a person with no clinical evidence of
coronary artery disease. In the West of Scotland study with
pravachol, using subjects with high TC, middle age, but no
ecidence of CAD, the "number needed to treat" to save one
life was 111 persons for five years.
In addition, these {*filter*} may, in _some_ people, cause
liver damage and rarely muscle damage. Becauseof this,
patients must have frequent {*filter*} tests for liver function--
perhaps every month or two at first, then less often.
Each at say $25 plus an office visit. Not cheap if you had to
pay for it yourself.
