Dh would like to canvass your thoughts on high cholesterol levels and taking statins

[Miaou]

Dh has high cholesterol levels (7.7) and has to go and see the GP tomorrow when he will probably be recommended to go onto statins. He has been on these before and really didn't like them - they make him tired and moody (and he already suffers from depression so this is not good!). Thing is, his cholesterol levels are almost definitely hereditary (both his parents had/have high cholesterol) so diet has no impact (though his diet is very healthy anyway).

If dh was given an ECG and it showed that there was a narrowing of the arteries, then he would reconsider, but atm he doesn't see the point of taking something that really upsets his natural balance on the offchance that it might prevent something that isn't necessarily going to happen anyway (high cholesterol levels don't automatically lead to furring of the arteries after all!). FWIW I support whatever he wants to do.

Anyone any thoughts on this/been through this? TIA.

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The trouble is, an ECG could be normal despite narrowing.Did/do his parents have heart problems?
I think,on balance, I would take them with a cholesterol that high.What are his other risk factors?
This might help.

did they look at the bad vs good cholesterol? (it's a bit more detailed than just the whole number 7.7 iyswim - might give you an idea as to how 'bad' the level really is)

mine was fairly high at one stage but I have a feeling (really can't remember) that they did some detailed test and the bad cholesterol wasn't THAT bad (god, that doesn't really make sense, hopefully, you get the gist)

Thanks for that NorksDrift. Looking at the risk factors they look at along with the high cholesterol levels:

• Family history - yes his parents both had/have high cholesterol (his dad has had a heart attack (over 70), his mum died from cancer about 15 years ago)
• Lifestyle - very healthy
• Blood pressure - good
• Age - 45
• General health - very good
• Presence of diabetes - no
• Excess weight - yes, bizarrely - he has always struggled with his weight (even when he was in the army and a squash coach fgs!)
• Smoking - never smoked.

He has a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet. Could do more exercise but is hoping to remedy this soon as we have just moved to a place where there is a squash club for him to join.

Will pass him the article to read, thanks

My dh facing the same thing. He loathes having to be on yet more medication, having already been on lots of awful stuff for 20 years.

The evidence for them is pretty good afaik - might i be worth giving it a year, committing to exercise as well (does the GP do exercise referrals? ours still does occasionally - saves money) and seeing if he can get past the side-effects?

oops xpost sorry

Thanks choosyfloosy - have just moved areas so it will be interesting to see what the GP's attitude is towards taking statins.

FIS, iirc it's the LDL cholesterol that you have to look out for - I guess they will go into more detail at his appointment tomorrow.

have you heard about homocysteine ,it's important to have this checked aswell.Look here

another interesting view here

imo I wouldn't take statins. There are often more side effects than benefits. Could ramble on about this for ever, but in a nut shell having high cholesterol doesn't necessarily mean you are going to have a heart attack/stroke etc. Having high levels of 'bad' cholesterol can increase your risk. Oxidative damage i.e. damage to your cells increasing levels of 'bad' cholesterol are at fault. Doctors have known this since the 80's when we were told to drink red wine for the health benefits. Eating a diet high in fruit and veggies is crutial. You may want to look at supplements, multivits/minerals while Vit E is known to prevent LDL oxidation and prevent 'furring' of the arteries. Homocystein levels are a better indicator than cholesterol levels of health outcomes but there are no drugs to alter homocystein levels, just diet so doctors tend not to go down that path as they actively can't do anything about it.
HTH and PS I'm not an anti conventional medicine nutter, I've worked in health for over 20 years. These are just my opinions. Good luck with the appointment I will be interested to hear what your GP thinks.
On another note if your DH does decide to take statins he should definately take CoQ10 supplements, statins deplete the body of CoQ10 which cause most of the side effects. Drug companies know that but it costs too much to add coQ10 to statins so they would have a hard time marketing them - that info is from a cardiologist consultant I know.

oooh thanks for the links ggirl, I rambled and you just posted links

ggirl and sibble - very interesting - have emailed the articles to dh and he is going to bring up some of these points with the gp tomorrow - thanks

Very interesting thread!

Thanks for the info and links ggirl and sibble - will have a good look later on.

ok back from the school run (am in NZ). Of course there are some people who do have hereditary high cholesterol, but as you quite rightly say this doesn't necessarily mean heart disease etc. There is also a syndrome we are hearing more and more about metabolic syndrome, syndrome x or insulin resistance (has a few names at the moment). People find that they have one or a number of the following: high cholesterol, high BP, increasing difficulty losing weight despite a healthy diet and diabetes or early diabetes. A low GI diet is one of the options for these people and might be something your DH might want to try. It might be worth trying for 3 months then re-visiting the GP for further blood tests if he's not keen on taking statins straight away.

Haven't read all the posts but my dad had a heart attack 3 months ago. he hadn't got high cholesterol and hadn't been on medication, he was fit and healthy particularly for his age, leads a fit and healthy lifestyle with no heart risks at all. his father died of a heart attack and that was the only risk factor he had -the lifestyle has helped in as far as it was a moderate heart attack. he then susequently had a stroke which again could have mainly been attributed to his mother's medical history - she died of a stroke. i would say that if there are any factors which would increase the risk beyond normal its worth taking the medication - not a doctor, just a daughter who wised my dad had taken more advice.

update - dh read the thread and all the linked articles and went in feeling fully informed. GP was fab, agreed that the risk/benefit issue was such that it made sense for him not to go onto statins just now. Dh can't remember the breakdown, but he was just within the limits for both LDL and HDL cholesterol. GP administered the Framingham test (think that's right? Assesses your heart attack risk) which put him at 12% (it would be nearer 15% if his diet wasn't so good) - unless his risk is nearer 20% then the GP won't pressurize him to take statins. He said the GP really listened to him, and even said that he likes to be challenged on treatment decisions and would far rather work with someone like dh who is prepared to avoid taking meds in favour of trying to get his weight down/increase exercise etc.

Thanks for all your advice and information - was really helpful to him!

If heart attack is a concern, ask his gp to check the triglyceride levels too, its these that plays a roll in heart attacks.

My dh had a similar attitude to yours, unfortunately he had a heart attack. He was leading a fit and healthy lifestyle at the moment and did 5 mile runs everyday. When he had the attack, they told him, if he was out on a run he would not have known what hit him if he had the attack. Needless to say, he decided, benefits outweighed the risks.

He's been on statins for 2 years now and has not suffered any side effects. He is taking lipitor.

glad it went well miaou.

Spacepuppy, this is the thing really - damned if you do and damned if you don't! Dh suffers from depression which he is successfully managing without taking AD's atm. Statins are known to cause/exacerbate depression so would seriously affect his quality of life. He feels (and I agree) that his heart attack risk (at 12%) is far lower than his "depression risk" (given past experience, when he was on statins, 100%!). Yes it does mean that slightly more than 1 in 10 people in dh's position will suffer a heart attack. But the alternative is dh too depressed to work/contribute to family life - and he isn't prepared to go there again (we have dealt with it before and it is miserable).

They would have taken the triglyceride levels as part of the cholesteral check I'd have thought.

They did for my hubby - results showed total cholesteral, hdl, ldl, and triglyceride.

I'm really glad that your GP was willing to listen and discuss options, a GP definately worth keeping. FWIW I didn't say yesterday but my Dh earlier in the year was also looking at statins, blood pressure meds, the works. Our GP also listened and 3 months after taking up exercise again and changing his diet - his diet at home was good but too much corprorate entertaining had taken it's toll big time he has lost 4 stone, his choleterol and blood pressure are now normal. ANother huge plus is that my usually grumpy stressed DH is a much happier, less stressed person.

The interesting and perhaps sad thing about heart disease/attacks is that less than half of the people who have/die from them have high cholesterol. There are so many other causes/factors. I was at a seminar at the weekend here in NZ, they predict that in NZ and Oz that the health bill will increase by 600% over the next 10 year (I think it was 10 don't quote me on that) because of teh number of people starting statins and similar drugs. That's huge. I think we will see more and more debate as to who should be taking them, because no doubt some people should, but not as many as doctors are prescribing them too when changes in lifestyle and other methods can have a better outcome.

I hope your DH does well.

Haven't had time to read wqhole thread, but in response to OP: dh has familial high cholesterol (ie diet etc make no difference at all, its genetic) and his was around 8. He's been on statins since he was about 40, is 46 now (no side effects, no problems).

He was worried a couple of years ago, so he went and had a heart scan at one of the London imaging centres: it was private, and cost a couple of hundred pounds, but his peace of mind (we have two young dds) has been worth it - his heart showed no signs of plaque whatsoever, arteries ditto, so he's reassured. Still takes statins, as he's ok on them, but it was a very useful diagnostic tool in his case - wanted to mention it!

Sorry to rush...good luck to your dh tomorrow.