High LDL cholesterol--only

As a sequel to my last post, just how often can we blame an isolated high LDL cholesterol as the cause of coronary plaque and a heart scan score?

In other words, how often does someone prove to have only LDL cholesterol as the cause of a heart scan score . . . and nothing else? No low HDL, small LDL, lipoprotein(a), a post-prandial (after-eating) intermediate-density lipoprotein, inflammatory responses, phospholipase A2, high triglycerides, vitamin D deficiency, etc.

Rarely. In fact, I can truly count the number of people who have only LDL cholesterol as their sole cause of coronary atherosclerotic plaque on one hand. It is really an infrequent situation.

Far more commonly, people have 5, 6, 7 or more reasons for coronary plaque.

Thus, the idea that a statin drug to reduce LDL will cure heart disease is completely folly. It does happen--but rarely. I think I've seen it happen twice. Much more commonly, a program that addresses all the causes of coronary plaque yields far superior benefits.

In my view, an effort to identify all the causes is relatively easy, makes far better sense, and provides you much greater assurance that you will succeed in conquering heart disease and removing its evil influence from your life.

Comments (3) -

  • Anonymous

    5/11/2007 7:21:00 PM |

    Dr. Davis, two things check out this web site http://www.traceminerals.com/research/synx.html it appears to have some good data on Metabolic Syndrome-X:
    I would like to share some good data that I have had by following the TYP program, I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes Feb. 15 and after that I got my second heart scan, over 600 (my age 57) a 43% increase in 18 Mo. Not good needless to say, than I found TYP in march of this year I started slowly following and implementing a TYP plan,
    Background
    In February I did not feel well and I went to the doctor(2/15) I had lost 12 lbs my % body fat was going up  the muscles in my stomach were sore at times I was so thirsty I could not stand it and my eye site was changing. Needless to say I was diagnosed as a type II diabetic   glucose 344 A1C 11.2, was prescribed new medications for both the diabetic condition( Januvia 100mg 1X per day actoPlus Met 2X per day 15mg 850mg) along with cholesterol ( Advicor 20/1000 ). I started a life style changing program.
    Life style changes
    Modified eating program- went to a low GI high Vegetable protein including soy no or almost no Fats, eat as much as I want .(needless to say I have changed this plan)
    Quit smoking
    Increased exercise- walking on treadmill 7%grade 3.75mph from 30 min. to 30 min twice a day
    My Medications were changed Advicor 20/1000; Lisinopril-hydrochlorothiazide tablets 10-12.5 mg and a 325mg aspirin
    April started on the TYP plan, my Glucose average was way up, my total cholesterol number was 100 but my LDL-P was 1015 and my small LDL-P was 913 along with a HDL-C of 30  went on the TYP program
    Had my Vitamin D checked -it was low , had my DHEA checked it was low, had my Magnesium checked it was low, after my discussion with you came off Lisinopril , ( we are seeing were this settles out to pick the right med's) stopped talking all diabetic med's added two other supplements R-ALA , PGX Fiber Blend (instead of oatmeal too many carbs) along with Vit D, Magnesium, DHEA , 15 grams of soy protein Fish oil, healthy Fats, no wheat products, Dark chocolates L-Arginine.   I have had a additional blood test for these items (Vit D magnesium, DHEA) adjusted supplements body fat down to less than 14% WHAT A DIFFERENCE, in the last 11 days  my fasting glucose numbers are between 84 and 103 that’s normal, before they were above 125 solidly Diabetic (since Feb even with diabetic medications) my doctor has never seen this much improvement without medication, on someone that had a 12 week ave of over 340.I do not know who is more anxious to see my next lipid profile me or my doctor  . I'am scheduled in three weeks.
    Needless to say i also beleive that very few people can just take one pill and be cured. I hope i'am alive when they do find the magic cure (and i think they will) but right now the TYP plan is the best game in town. Eugene

  • buy jeans

    11/3/2010 3:12:33 PM |

    Thus, the idea that a statin drug to reduce LDL will cure heart disease is completely folly. It does happen--but rarely. I think I've seen it happen twice. Much more commonly, a program that addresses all the causes of coronary plaque yields far superior benefits.

  • viagra online

    4/19/2011 8:16:49 PM |

    I knoe a lot about the Cholesterol!
    LDL particles vary in size and density, and studies have shown that a pattern that has more small dense LDL particles, called Pattern B, equates to a higher risk factor for coronary heart disease!!My grandpa died for this reason, I think that it was terrible!!

Loading
Are we done here?

Are we done here?

Les' doctor consulted me because his CT heart scan score had increased 40% from 893 to 1259 over 18 months.

Judging by his appearance, Les was a 59-year old guy trapped somewhere in the 1980s. The only reason he'd undergone two heart scans was from the prompting of his wife, who was quite savvy.

Among the steps we took was to have Les undergo a stress test. I explained to Les and his wife that stress tests are effective tests of coronary blood flow, but not of plaque. Therefore, there was somewhere around a 25-35% likelihood of an abnormality that suggested poor flow in one or more portions of the heart.

Les passed his stress test easily. A bricklayer, Les was accustomed to heavy physical effort. "Are we done here, doc?" Les asked. Les' wife raised her eyebrows but, to her credit, kept quiet. She'd obviously been here before.

I explained to Les that having normal coronary blood flow was just one aspect of the issue.

"But I don't need a stent, right? I don't need a bypass. I already take Vytorin. So I need a cheeseburger once in a while. So what! Who doesn't? What else is there?"

I continued. "Les, with a normal stress test, there's no denying you still have lots of plaque in your heart's arteries. The risk to you is that one of these plaques will 'rupture,' sort of like a little volcano erupting. Of course, it's not lava that flies out, but the internal contents of plaque. When that happens and the contents of plaque get exposed to blood flowing by, a blood clot forms. That's a heart attack.

"With a 40% increase in your score over 18 months, you are, in fact, at substantial risk for such a plaque rupture. Unless you're fond of hospitals and the thought of heart procedures, then we need to address that part of the issue."

So it went. Step by step, with the quiet, strong support of Les' wife, we uncovered 7 additional causes of his heart disease. It wasn't the easiest process for us, but we did manage to educate Les on the simple steps he needed to take to 1) correct the causes of his coronary plaque, 2) how to use foods and stop fanning the flames of his plaque, and 3) how to live with this nasty specter hanging over him.

Now, if we could only transform Les into an optimist . . .

Comments (4) -

  • Anonymous

    7/28/2007 12:15:00 AM |

    I'm curious what those "7 additional causes of his heart disease" were.

  • Dr. Davis

    7/28/2007 1:32:00 PM |

    These refer to the lipoprotein sorts of abnormalities we commonly uncover, e.g., small LDL, IDL, VLDL, deficient vit D, etc.

  • Anonymous

    8/25/2007 2:40:00 AM |

    I am interested in learning what you prescribe for lessening plaque rupture. My score was 1229 and I also easily passed an echocaridogram. I am doing all
    I can to correct the deficiencies from my lippo testing
    but what I fear most is plaque rupture. Currently I am
    taking 2000 mg omega3s and 10mg Mevacor as prevention. I was taking an ACE inhibitor but discontinued 2 weeks ago as my blood pressure has stabilized for the first time in 14 years.
    Any thoughts you may add would be appreciated.
    Regards
    Gene Mc

  • Dr. Davis

    8/25/2007 2:52:00 AM |

    Hi, Gene--

    I'm afraid that our approach is too lengthy to cover in this blog.

    I would invite you to participate in the conversation on the www.trackyourplaque.com website. The entire website is, in fact, devoted to answering your question.

    I will stress to you that, given your current regimen, an increase in heart scan score is virtually guaranteed unless you take appropriate action.

Loading