Heart scan book

20. April 2009 William Davis (0)


There are only two books on heart scans available.

One, of course, is Track Your Plaque.

The other is the basic book on heart scans, What Does My Heart Scan Show?

Lost in the navigation column to the left on this blog is the link to get the electronic version of the book. In case you didn't know, we make this available for free.

If you're interested, just go here. This book can provide many basic answers to the questions that often arise regarding heart scans, such as the expected rate of increase in score, how your score compares to other people, when should a stress test be considered. Many heart scan centers use this book for educational purposes to help patients understand the importance of their heart scan scores.

(The sign-up for the book requires that an e-mail address be entered.)

The hard copy of What Does My Heart Scan Show? is available from Amazon, also, for $12.99.
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Cholesterol is dead!

Cholesterol is dead!

26. May 2006 William Davis (0)
I saw a patient in the office yesterday. He came to me for an opinion regarding his high heart scan score of 525, putting him in the 90th percentile (5% annual risk of heart attack).

His doctor had been puzzled because his LDL cholesterols had ranged from 110 to 131 mg--actually below average. (The average LDL for the U.S. is 132 mg.) Likewise, HDL was a favorable 63 mg.

Lipoprotein analysis told the story loud and clear. His LDL particle number, a far more precise measure of LDL, was 2448 nmol/l. This means that his true LDL was more like 240-250 mg! (You can get a sense for what the true LDL is from LDL particle number by dropping the last digit: 2448 becomes 244.) Conventional LDL was therefore inaccurate by over 100 mg.

He also had a severe small LDL particle pattern. The cause of his coronary plaque was a large excess of small LDL particles. LDL cholesterol (and total cholesterol, likewise) didn't even hint at this pattern. Nor did his favorable HDL.

Think of LDL particle number as an actual count of LDL particles per volume, e.g., number of particles per cc of blood. This makes it easier to conceptualize. LDL particle number is the measure you get when you have an NMR lipoprotein profile, our preferred method of lipoprotein testing. If this is unavailable to you, apoprotein B is a reasonable second choice, though not as accurate in my view. More info on NMR is available at their website, www.lipoprofile.com.
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More lipoproteins zero!

More lipoproteins zero!

26. August 2011 William Davis (18)
A few posts back, I talked about how more people are showing us zero lipoprotein(a) and zero small LDL. That was about 4 weeks ago. By then, I had seen 3 people with zero values on both.

Well, it's now up to 9 people: 9 people who have achieved zero lipoprotein(a) and zero small LDL. These are people who started with typical lipoprotein(a) values of 150-300 nmol/L and small LDL values of 1000-2000 nmol/L, both substantial.

I still don't know how many people or what percentage can expect to show such extravagant results. But the sharp increase over a relatively brief period of time is extremely encouraging!


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Comments (18) -

  • Jana Miller

    8/25/2011 11:59:38 PM |

    Okay that is amazing...wow. Can't wait to read your book.
    Jana

  • Jean

    8/26/2011 3:42:13 AM |

    Wow, just wow.
    I hope you are able to 1. Track these folks to see how they do over time, and if making these changes affects their outcomes and 2. You'll be able to publish the TYP information so that more 'open' cardiologists, etc, can see what you do works.
    This country is involved in the biggest dietary trial in the history of the world, outside of famine and deliberate starvation of populations. Probably no other group of people has been subjected to malnutrition while being overfed. That our food supply has been so adulterated with no testing is beyond amazing to me.
    I read your blog regularly and encourage others to do so, but many are still listening to their doctors and are fearful.
    It's not going to happen overnight, but i wonder if there isn't a selection process going on here.

  • Dr. William Davis

    8/26/2011 11:29:25 AM |

    Hi, Jean--
    Hmmm. Interesting notion. Evolution in action.

    Rather than weeding out the weak by infection and predators, the weak will succumb to Kelloggs, Nabisco, and "healthy whole grains."

  • Matt

    8/26/2011 6:14:15 PM |

    When you say small LDL is zero, are you refering to both LDL4 and LDL3 on the VAP? Or just LDL4?

  • Amanda

    8/29/2011 4:07:27 AM |

    Where do I find out how to do this? my husband has a current lipoprotein a of 213 nmol/L and want to lower them STAT

  • Dr. William Davis

    8/29/2011 12:07:57 PM |

    Hi, Amanda--

    We use high-dose fish oil and thyroid normalization, specifically T3, to start, followed by hormonal manipulation, niacin, and dietary changes. I invite you to join our discussions on how to do this on the Trackyourplaque.com website, the website that this blog accompanies.

  • Johnt

    8/30/2011 3:43:57 PM |

    I’ve been on a daily D3 regimen now for some 2 years (4000-8000 iu), taking an occasional 1 week break. Things were fine (no apparent side effects) until recently when I started to experience strange chest sensations, especially at bedtime and upon rising in the morning. My heart felt stressed, accompanied with a slight dizziness. I also had this weak feeling of pain in my chest very occasionally during the day. One morning I had fairly strong chest pain sensations on my left side, and I decided to go to the hospital. The chest pain subsided fairly quickly, and following an extensive checkup with EKG and blood tests. it turned out that there was nothing wrong with my heart according to the doctors. However one doctor pointed out that my D3 intake was fairly high and that that chest pains like mine are sometimes one of the symptoms of D3 toxicity and suggested I suspend D3 supplements for a time on the off chance this may be the source of my problem.

  • Dr. William Davis

    8/30/2011 6:28:54 PM |

    Hi, John --

    I think you got some bad advice. This is highly unlikely.

    It would be like saying "Your chest pain is from your suntan."

  • Jack Kronk

    8/30/2011 9:48:04 PM |

    Very interesting John. I have been very open around this community about battling what sounds like the identical type of chest feeling. "My heart felt stressed" is a great description for what I have felt. For me, it comes and goes, and is often more pronounced between meals, even hours after eating. Also, I have noticed that the feeling is completely absent after a good weight lifting session and I'm not sure what to make of that. We should keep in touch somewhow incase on of us discovers something and wants to share it with the other.

    -Jack Kronk

  • Rachel Formolo

    8/31/2011 12:50:58 AM |

    I'm a wife of a patient of Dr.Davis, also on 8000 VD/day.  I, too, notice every so often a definite heart beat.  At one of those times I was just slightly dizzy.  It's of a nature that I definitely notice it.  It comes and goes, with no particular rhythm and I can't relate it to anything I'm doing...except I'm thinking maybe stress?  I'm in very good physical health.  I don't think there is really anything wrong with me and no new stressors.   I find it puzzling.

  • Dr. William Davis

    8/31/2011 12:56:58 AM |

    Hi, Jack--

    This leads to an off-topic idea, but I have been using the HeartMath program for such emotional/ stress effects with good--no, great--results.

  • Jack Kronk

    8/31/2011 8:37:25 PM |

    Do you believe this program could be potentially helpful in my case? What does it entail and how might I find out more info about it?

    Thanks Doc.

    -JK

  • Dr. William Davis

    9/2/2011 2:27:02 AM |

    Sorry, Jack, hard to say without knowing more. But, speaking generally, I can tell you that the information we provide here and in the Track Your Plaque program, in my view, makes conventional heart health and nutrition advice look like kindergarten play time.

  • Dr. William Davis

    9/2/2011 2:59:52 AM |

    Two more people with zero Lp(a) today alone!

  • Emilie

    12/12/2011 2:57:13 AM |

    On November 16 or 17, 2011, there was an article on msnbc.msn which warned that too much vitamin D has been found to cause atrial fibrillation, a dangerous abnormal heart rhythm.  Doctors found that this side effect occurred typically in people whose blood levels of vitamin D had reached more than 100 ng/dl.  It is hoped, they said, that the atrial fibrillation is reversable once the vitamin D is stopped and the blood level of the vitamin declines.

  • marty lowery

    3/14/2012 2:58:34 AM |

    Doc Davis, I had an NMR lipid profile in February of 2012. my scores were fair, however, did not get LP(a) score? thought this test provided ldl sub-classes. did i mis-read the test? should i get the VAP test next? my scores were: ldl-p count, 1130, small ldl-p 101, hdl-c 75, trigs., 35, ldl size 21.7, TC 209. i am 7 years out from 5x by-pass, 3 failed, 2 minor MI, one stent. i am a  56 year  old male, never any weight issues(160#). my current doctors think my cholesterol is too high. i am on a small dose of crestor (10mg). any thoughts.

  • Gene K

    3/15/2012 4:37:08 PM |

    Lp(a) is a separate test, it is not part of NMR.

  • Dr. William Davis

    3/16/2012 12:33:49 AM |

    Yes, Lp(a) must be specified on NMR.

    On VAP, it is part of the standard panel.

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