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stints and hdl
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davensv posted:
what makes a dr pick what kind of stint he/she should uses?
how to rise your hdl my is 35, LDL 51, total 119
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DUKE MEDICINE
Robert A Harrington, MD responded:
Dear davensv-

These are two very common questions. There are two basic types of stents that cardiologists use to treat blocakages in coronary arteries. Both are made of metal but one type is coated with a polymer that has drugs embedded in it that can help prevent the re-narrowing of the blockage that occurs in 20-30% of the blockages treated with the "bare metal" stents. These "drug-eluting" stents were a major step forward in the technology used to treat blockages. But they also carry with them a need for longer periods of antiplatelet therapy (aspirin plus clopidogrel) than was required with the bare metal ones.

It's these two characteristcs (reducing the risk of re-narrowing balanced against the need for long term antiplatelet treatment) that influence which stent a cardiologist might use to treat blockages. For example, blockages with a greater likelihood for re-narrowing include very long blockages in smaller arteries. Cardiologists might more likely use a drug-eluting stent for these while using bare-metal ones for more discrete blockages in large arteries. This is just one example. Cardiologists consider many patient factors (for example, is someone willing to take clopidogrel for a year) as well as technical factors when making these decisions. If you find out that you need a stent, ask your cardiologist how and why he/she will make these decisions.

Regarding the question about HDL cholesterol, please consider looking at the WebMD resources on this topic (http://www.webmd.com/cholesterol-management/default.htm ). The content is excellent and includes a section on raising HDL cholesterol through lifestyle interventions.

Best of luck.

Bob H
 
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CardiostarUSA1 responded:
Hi davensv:

Regarding how to raise your HDL -

General info

About com: Heart Disease

Raisng Your HDL Levels

http://www.heartdisease.about.com/cs/cholesterol/a/raiseHDL.htm

Fat Free Kitchen

How to Raise HDL cholesterol, Raising HDL Cholesterol

http://www.fatfreekitchen.com/cholesterol/raise-hdl-cholesterol.html

Take care,

CardioStar*

WebMD community member (since 8/99)

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Be well-informed

Good to know, for the primary and secondary prevention of heart attack and brain attack/stroke


Epidemiologic studies (EDS) have revealed risk factors for atherosclerosis (typically affecting the coronary, carotid, and peripheral arteries), which includes age, gender, genetics (gene deletion, malfunction, or mutation), diabetes (considered as being the highest risk factor), smoking (includes secondhand), inactivity, obesity (a global epidemic "globesity"), high blood pressure (hypertension), high LDL, high Lp(a), high ApoB, high Lp-PLA2, high triglycerides, LOW HDL (less than 40 mg/dL, an HDL level of 60/65 mg/dL or more is considered protective against dreaded coronary artery disease), high homocysteine, and high C-reactive protein (CRP/hs-CRP).

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Quote!

"Be a questioning patient. Talk to your doctor and ask questions. Studies show that patients who ask the most questions, and are most assertive, get the best results. Be vigilant and speak up!"

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DeadManWalking56 responded:
Dave:

Your total cholesterol is very good. Your HDL at 35 seems a problem, but your LDL is only 51, giving you a ratio of LDL to HDL of 1.5. Under 2.5 is the usual target, so you are in great shape there.

I have been doing many of the things recommended to raise HDL, and have seen my go up 10 pts, in 4 years and some months, from 37 to 47.

Not sure I can manage the 1/2 raw onion a day. That is one I have not been doing.

If you can get you fitness level up pretty high, then cardio at a pace of 540 cal/hr has help raise HDL. I found that in research on pubmed a few years ago.

DMW


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