Heart Disease Community

Take care of cholesterol NOW!! I had high chol. for a long time and didn't give it the importance it deserved. I now have Radiation Induced Coronary Heart Disease and just had a stent placed in one of my arteries to repair a 60% blockage.

DIET is key, watch out for those statin drugs that have so many side effects.

I dropped my cholesterol down from 211 to 123, and lost 20 pounds in one month on Dr. Esseylsten Diet and low dose of a statin (which I am hoping to not be taking soon). It was hard at first but I can't imagine eating any differently now.

The keys for me... diet, exercise, meditation, and yoga for stress. Listen to your body now, don't wait like I did.

Good luck to you:)

Hi:

"The doctor took an EKG/...said that the my heart walls are thick."

First of all, a routine resting electrocardiogram (ECG) offers limited diagnostics, and results such as that can be easily confirmed or ruled out with an echocardiogram.

Heart wall thickening is referred to as hypertrophy. We often hear about it ocurring in left ventricle (LV). The normal thickness range of the LV is from 0.6 to 1.1 cm, measured at the very end of diastole (the heart's resting/relaxation phase). If more than 1.1 cm thick, a diagnosis of LVH can be made.

Health Central

Cardiac Enlargement: A Patient Guide

There are two types of cardiac enlargement: Hypertrophy and dilation....

With the exception of exercise-induced enlargement, all forms of cardiac enlargement are abnormal and associated with further...

http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/patient-guide-44614-6.html

"This is the first time my cholesterol is high. What should I do?"

Work closely with your doctor(s) to keep ALL known modifiable risk factors for cardiovascular disease (actually begins very early in life, even as early as in the pre-teen/teenage years) in-check.

Best of luck down the road of life.

Take care,

CardioStar*

WebMD member (since 8/99)




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Be well-informed

WebMD

Heart Disease TYPES

Men/Women

http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/heart-disease-men


SYMPTOMS

http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/guide/heart-disease-symptoms

Mayo Clinic

Heart Disease

Definition. Symptoms. Causes. Risk factors. Complications. Tests and diagnosis. Prevention...

Heart disease is a broad term used to describe a range of diseases that affect......

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/heart-disease/DS01120


LEARN ABOUT the Heart



WebMD

The Heart: (Human Anatomy) Pictures, Definition, Location in the Body and Heart Problems

http://www.webmd.com/heart/picture-of-the-heart

WebMD Health/The Cleveland Clinic

How the Healthy Heart Works

Arteries, Chambers, Valves

http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/healthy-heart-works

Your-Doctor

How the Heart Pumps

Animated Tutorial

http://your-doctor.com/healthinfocenter/medical-conditions/cardiovascular/heartpump-tutorial.html


Heart-Healthy Foods

Avoid foods high in saturated fat and cholesterol. Choose skim or low-fat milk, low-fat yogurt and reduced-fat cheeses. Eat more fish and poultry. Limit servings to five to seven ounces a day. Trim visible fat. Limit egg yolks. Substitute two egg whites for one whole egg or use an egg-substitute. Eat more fruits and vegetables, whole grains, breads and cereals. Use less salt and fat. Season with herbs and spices rather than with sauces, gravies and butter

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

Epidemiologic studies have revealed risk factors (encompasses some new, novel, or emerging) for atherosclerosis (typically affects carotid, coronary, peripheral arteries), which includes age, gender, genetics, diabetes, smoking (includes 2nd/3rd hand), inactivity, obesity, hypertension, high LDL, small, dense LDL, RLP (remnant lipoprotein), high Lp(a), high ApoB, high Lp-PLA2, high triglycerides, HDL2b, LOW HDL (less than 40 mg/dL, an HDL level of 60/65 mg/dL or more is considered protective against coronary artery disease), high homocysteine (now iffy), 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!"

- Charles Inlander, People's Medical Society

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It's your future......be there.

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WebMD/WebMD Health Exchanges DOES NOT provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatments.

An ECG can provide information about the heart's structure, and there are some electrical findings that can suggest thickening of the heart muscle - called left ventricular hypertrophy. This most commonly develops in response to high blood pressure, although it can have other causes. i would recommend discussing your cholesterol and ECG further with your doctor to see if any further testing or recommendations are appropriate.