Lowering My Cholesterol

March 23, 2009

Taking Ezetrol now.

Filed under: About Cholesterol, Blood Pressure, Ezetimibe, Family History - Administrator @ 10:22 pm

It’s been a while since I wrote anything here - but I am still alive and kicking.

After a few problems with Inegy and Crestor - I was eventually put on Ezetrol (ezetimibe) which works by reducing the cholesterol absorbed from the gut. I am not sure if this drug will be having much effect because my diet is usually fairly good anyway - i.e low in fat.
I had a bit of a scare at Christmas when I was getting lots of chest pains. I ended up in A&E on Christmas Day to see what the heck it was. With the family history and high BP history - I was kept in for tests. The final diagnosis was inflammation of the lining of the heart - Pericarditis. While I was in I had an angiogram which was all fine. My cholesterol was 5.1 - which is not too bad. 

I don’t worry as much about the cholesterol now - but keep taking the Ezetrol and try to keep off the fatty foods  most of the time. 

March 20, 2007

Risk Factors for Heart Disease

Filed under: Tests, Blood Pressure, Family History - Administrator @ 10:58 am

These are the risk factors for getting heart disease:

Someone in your family had heart disease early. Early means that your father or uncle had a heart attack or died suddenly from heart disease before they were 55 or your mother or another female relative had a heart attack before they were 65

YES - my father had a heart attack aged 42 - it didn’t kill him. His brother died from a heart attack aged about 52. So my risk level is hight on this one.

High blood pressure (sometimes called hypertension)

YES - it was noticed about 10 years ago and I have been taking Beta Blocker (atenolol) ever since. I am currently on 50mg a day.

Diabetes
No- I am OK there.

You smoke
NO - I don’t smoke

You are a man over 45
Well - this year I will be 45

You are a woman over 55
Not applicable to me

You are a woman who had the menopause early
Not applicable

Your good (HDL) cholesterol is less than 1 millimole per litre (mmol/l for short).
I didn’t get the actual figure for HDL - but I will get it next time I see my GP

You already have atherosclerosis (narrowing of the arteries).
I don’t know

I fall into 2 of the risk groups - and will soon be in a third risk group when I hit 45.

 

March 17, 2007

What is Cholesterol ?

Filed under: About Cholesterol, Tests, Blood Pressure, Diet, Exercise, Family History - Administrator @ 3:59 pm

My Cholesterol level is high - so I am told by my doctor - but what is cholesterol? Why do we need it? Why is too much cholesterol bad for us? Is cholesterol needed by our body or not? How can I reduce cholesterol in my blood? 
My father had a heart attack when he was only 42 - I am 44 now. Is cholesterol going to kill me? This blog is my way of recording my research into  Cholesterol, why it is bad and how I can try and lower my cholesterol levels.

My cholesterol "count" in October 2006 was 6.4. In January 2007 it was 5.8

I know I don’t exercise enough. My diet is pretty good - low fat milk in my tea,  no fatty meats, very little butter. I need to cut down on treats like biscuits and cheese though. If it is genetic - maybe diet will not help? I will try and find out more and keep notes of what I find here to remind myself and possible help others.