In patients with heart artery disease, statins taken properly reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke, or death by half. Only 6% of patients like this take a statin properly. Optimal medical treatment primary care teams achieve effective statin treatment 91% of the time. Your thoughts?
I was a believer that I could overcome the high cholesterol with diet and excercise, but after trying for many years I decided to start with the statin treatment. I now have my cholesterol in the optimal range and will continue with the statins to maintain my health and reduce the risk of heart issues.
I was able to control my cholesterol levels with diet and exercise for many years, having had unpleasant side effects from earlier statins. Several years ago, I started a small dose of atorvastatin. My very high triglycerides dropped more than 50% and my LDL dropped to a reasonable level. However, I wonder if I am taking the atorvastatin properly, based on the statement that only 6% do so. I take it first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, but with other medication. Is this acceptable? My doctor didn't discuss that and I never thought to ask. Bill, perhaps you might state the proper way to take a statin.
Over the years I tried four different statins over the years and each time the side effects precluded continuation of each prescription. Three caused severe muscle ache and cramping and one caused flu like symptoms. I don't remember the dosage but from what you've said in the reply to Barbara. Then I learned that my right carotid is at 68% and I began to see a cardiologist in Charlotte who said that I would be a candidate for a then new injection, Praulent, which I began to take as soon as the BC/BS authorities in all things approved it. The 75 ml injection every two weeks is miraculous. As you know, cardiologists are never satisfied, and he wanted to try 150 ml. We did and there was a return of cramping and ache whereupon injections were interrupted for a month and a half. I've returned to 75 ml with no other problems.
Prior to that my cholesterol was the lowest when I limited refined sugar and refined flour but, without fail, had two eggs for breakfast every morning and rib eye whenever I wanted. Saturated fat seemed to make no difference. I'm just unlucky in that my body makes too much of the stuff although the ration has always been good. Maybe that's why I'm still alive, a good ratio. I dunno.
Anyway, my wonderful cardiologist decided to close his practice and take a position with the British NHS in Tortola of all places. I considered going over for the quarterly blood lettings that he required. I don't know if he got there or not because he was to transition just as covid arrived on the scene.
I wish that I'd been able to take a statin as my wife does but in some ways an injection every two weeks is easier to remember than one more pill daily. The very tricky one is the 150 mg Propafenone three times a day. That third pill in the middle of the day doesn't fit on any schedule that I have.
I was a believer that I could overcome the high cholesterol with diet and excercise, but after trying for many years I decided to start with the statin treatment. I now have my cholesterol in the optimal range and will continue with the statins to maintain my health and reduce the risk of heart issues.
I was able to control my cholesterol levels with diet and exercise for many years, having had unpleasant side effects from earlier statins. Several years ago, I started a small dose of atorvastatin. My very high triglycerides dropped more than 50% and my LDL dropped to a reasonable level. However, I wonder if I am taking the atorvastatin properly, based on the statement that only 6% do so. I take it first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, but with other medication. Is this acceptable? My doctor didn't discuss that and I never thought to ask. Bill, perhaps you might state the proper way to take a statin.
Over the years I tried four different statins over the years and each time the side effects precluded continuation of each prescription. Three caused severe muscle ache and cramping and one caused flu like symptoms. I don't remember the dosage but from what you've said in the reply to Barbara. Then I learned that my right carotid is at 68% and I began to see a cardiologist in Charlotte who said that I would be a candidate for a then new injection, Praulent, which I began to take as soon as the BC/BS authorities in all things approved it. The 75 ml injection every two weeks is miraculous. As you know, cardiologists are never satisfied, and he wanted to try 150 ml. We did and there was a return of cramping and ache whereupon injections were interrupted for a month and a half. I've returned to 75 ml with no other problems.
Prior to that my cholesterol was the lowest when I limited refined sugar and refined flour but, without fail, had two eggs for breakfast every morning and rib eye whenever I wanted. Saturated fat seemed to make no difference. I'm just unlucky in that my body makes too much of the stuff although the ration has always been good. Maybe that's why I'm still alive, a good ratio. I dunno.
Anyway, my wonderful cardiologist decided to close his practice and take a position with the British NHS in Tortola of all places. I considered going over for the quarterly blood lettings that he required. I don't know if he got there or not because he was to transition just as covid arrived on the scene.
I wish that I'd been able to take a statin as my wife does but in some ways an injection every two weeks is easier to remember than one more pill daily. The very tricky one is the 150 mg Propafenone three times a day. That third pill in the middle of the day doesn't fit on any schedule that I have.