I was diagnosed with heart disease 2 years ago at age 37. My calculated coronary artery score was 402. Surprise, giving I am not overweight, exercise 3-5 times a week, total cholesterol was around 180,and don’t have family history of heart disease. Doctor immediately put me on Crestor 20mg.
Test results since then have continuously had my total cholesterol in the low 90s. Hdl and ldl in low 40s, with trylglycerides around 20.
I’ve asked several doctors they they for the most part believe “the lower LDL the better”.
However, my functional medicine doctor believes otherwise. She cites long term cognitive effects due to statins. She believes I can take 10mg 2-3 times a week, not get the same result as far as lowering ldl, but would still receive the anti inflammatory property of the statin. She believes it’s inflammation in the coronary arteries that cause the buildup, not necessarily the total LDL (especially in my case b/c I had normal LDL to begin with). Therefore lowering the risks of the cognitive effects due to the lowered statin dosage.
Test results since then have continuously had my total cholesterol in the low 90s. Hdl and ldl in low 40s, with trylglycerides around 20.
I’ve asked several doctors they they for the most part believe “the lower LDL the better”.
However, my functional medicine doctor believes otherwise. She cites long term cognitive effects due to statins. She believes I can take 10mg 2-3 times a week, not get the same result as far as lowering ldl, but would still receive the anti inflammatory property of the statin. She believes it’s inflammation in the coronary arteries that cause the buildup, not necessarily the total LDL (especially in my case b/c I had normal LDL to begin with). Therefore lowering the risks of the cognitive effects due to the lowered statin dosage.