The Controversy Continues

Even though you may not realize it, there is a strong controversy on the importance of using cholesterol as the single predicative factor for the health of your heart. At your yearly physical, the doctor does blood work to determine your cholesterol and triglyceride levels. If the results come back showing your cholesterol is higher than 200, your doctor tells you it's time to get it lower. Usually the cholesterol lowering approach suggested is taking a statin drug in combination with diet and exercise.

Drugs Alone are Not Enough

Unfortunately, the mentality of "just getting the numbers down" is not a good one. 

Most people tell themselves "if I just use drug therapy and just get my cholesterol down, everything will be all right." They think skipping the activity and healthier eating part of their therapy is OK just as long as the numbers come down. As you will read in the following article, just taking a statin, no matter what your numbers say, gives a false sense of security. With current testing standards, having lower cholesterol is not enough to prevent heart disease and guarantee a long life and good health.

The following excerpts are taken from an excellent article that puts the whole cholesterol numbers game in perspective. To read the entire article go to http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2006/may2006_report_heart_01.htm

It's Not Just the Numbers

"Marc, a successful architect, had rigorously monitored his cholesterol levels every six months since his mother's difficult recovery from a coronary bypass operation at the age of 63. Over the years, Marc's low-density lipoprotein (LDL), a component of a standard cholesterol panel, wavered within a narrow range that never exceeded 95 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL). "Your cholesterol profile is excellent, as always," his family doctor declared.

"Nevertheless, a heart attack struck Marc down without warning at the age of 54, leaving him breathless and exhausted from performing the most ordinary activities. Demoralized and frightened, Marc pressed his doctor to explain why he had a heart attack despite his excellent cholesterol values. ?Marc, some people have heart attacks because of genetics," his doctor replied. "There's not a whole lot we can do about that.'"

"Relying on cholesterol values to identify the presence of hidden heart disease is about as good as tossing a coin to do so. If we focus only on people with LDL levels greater than 130 mg/dL, for example, we will miss half of all those who will suffer a heart attack. Should we treat you to prevent a future heart attack?heads or tails? Since it is foolish to gamble with the precious asset of health, we must dig deeper to identify the factors that accurately predict heart disease."

You Need More Than Standard Tests

"This focus on standard lipid testing causes individuals and doctors to neglect all the other causes of heart disease, some of which are more important than cholesterol. Can you have a heart attack if you have low cholesterol? You sure can. Can you survive to the age of 95, outlive all your neighbors, and never have a heart attack despite high cholesterol? Absolutely! Can you suffer a debilitating or fatal heart attack with "normal" cholesterol? It happens every day?1,152 times a day nationwide, to be exact, according to a 2004 report by the American Heart Association." 

Don't Get Caught

Don't get caught in the cholesterol numbers game. Make sure your doctor tests for Homocystein levels, C-Reactive protein and lipid particle size when it comes to your blood profiles. These tests are more important in predicating heart disease than cholesterol levels. After all the testing is over, you'll need to establish healthier habits like getting active, healthier eating and reducing stress. These tools are always going to be more powerful than any drugs in helping you maintain a healthier heart.