The answer is far more complex- there have even been studies to suggest arterial inflammation leading to coronary events and stroke may be an infectious process. If you are old enough remember the story of Jim fix - had horrible family history of heart disease and tried to convince the world through extreme dietary measures and immense amounts of aerobic exercise ( running) you could beat heart disease. He died of a massive MI in his early 40’s. Sure diet and exercise may help and drugs may have a role. and it is pretty rock solid that high blood sugar and diabetes greatly increase vascular disease risk.
But above all I tell people no matter what you do you can’t outrun family history/ genetics

This!!!

quote:

Originally posted by Fenris:

quote:

Originally posted by 95flhr:
I'm with CSLINGER we all end up on a slab.

When I get there, I want the coroner to look at me and know I enjoyed my life.

I want to die at my 101st birthday party while having a threesome with a couple of 18 year old hookers. Blow optional. Bourbon required.

Anyone have any good articles on inflammation related to this thread?

Read The Big Fat Lie by Teicholz or Good Calories, Bad Calories by Taubes. Cholesterol being the cause of heart disease is a farce. Low carbohydrates, especially sugar, and avoiding vegetable fats is the answer for the vast majority of people. I got my Mom completely off statins by getting her to switch to low carb.

quote:

Originally posted by captain127:
..Jim fix(x)...

His name came up a week or two back as some doctor on radio was addressing who knows what. The doc suggested Fixx's extreme fitness regimen may have delayed the inevitable, maybe up to twenty years. All speculation but jokes at the time about Fixx's death were probably opportunistic at best.

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:

quote:

Originally posted by SIGnified:
There is large amount of data which demonstrably shows that statins save lives.

There is also a large amount of data which demonstrably shows statins can have significant downsides. This is true of many modern "wonder drugs." Which is why I avoid them to the extent possible.

The first rule of pharmacology is that if a drug is strong enough to help, then it’s strong enough to hurt. That’s why they require prescriptions.

quote:

Originally posted by Anush:
Also Statins can cause Type 2 in some individuals. I am living proof. I was on 800mg of Simvastatin for several years, developed Type 2, stopped taking Simvastatin, blood sugar readings dropped in a few days & A1C dropped from 7.2 to 6.1.

https://www.webmd.com/diabetes...of-type-2-diabetes#1

Are you sure you were taking 800mg of Simvastatin? I take 20mg a day and that is considered a high dose.

^^^^^

That does seem extreme. Typical would be 10-40

quote:

Originally posted by captain127:
The answer is far more complex- there have even been studies to suggest arterial inflammation leading to coronary events and stroke may be an infectious process. If you are old enough remember the story of Jim fix - had horrible family history of heart disease and tried to convince the world through extreme dietary measures and immense amounts of aerobic exercise ( running) you could beat heart disease. He died of a massive MI in his early 40’s. Sure diet and exercise may help and drugs may have a role. and it is pretty rock solid that high blood sugar and diabetes greatly increase vascular disease risk.
But above all I tell people no matter what you do you can’t outrun family history/ genetics

This is the correct answer. I happen to be one of those individuals with a family history Heart Disease. My paternal grandfather was 63 when he was killed by an MI. My older brother, a life long runner who never smoked was 59 when he was killed by Venticular Fibrulation caused by a possible MI. I am 63, an ex smoker who started exercising in 2015 and a constant user of a Heart Rate Chest Monitor who caught on to abnormal heart rhythm events early enough to probably save my life. Note, I say probably because my LAD is 80% blocked and a bad clot could drop me before I get to surgery. Because of this I am currently waiting for Open Heart Surgery to repair a leaky Mitral Valve and get a triple bypass. Note, in addition to Heart Disease I also have a family history for LOW Cholesterol, at my yearly physicals my triglycerides typically test at 135-145, so it's an absolute certainty that my heart disease isn't due to fat circulating in my blood. BTW, per this mornings weigh in my BMI is also 22.2, so early stage diabetes is NOT an issue. The simple truth is that my HDL is genetically inferior and does a lousy job of keeping my blood vessels cleaned out. Note, recent studies have indicated that there are variations in the effectiveness for HDL Cholesterol that probably are Genetic.

Bottomline is this, if you are over 50 with a family history of heart disease you need to be proactive about your heart health. In my example that LAD that is 80% blocked has a natural bypass that was formed in peripheral arteries and capilaries by my exercising causing an increase in circulation rate and increased vascular pressure during exercise. Quite simply my exercise enlarged those vessels to create a sort of bypass. Downside is this "bypass" does not have the capacity of the LAD artery so I have to pay attention to any indication of fatigue in the heart by watching what my heart rate is doing. I also have to slow down at any point that I become too fatigues to comfortably maintain a running pace. The second thing that MUST be done is complete discussion with your Primary Care Doctor about ANY chest pain, heart flutters, or fatigue that didn't happen when doing the same thing 2 years earlier. That was my brothers mistake, he had to stop jugging and start walking because he got too fatigued and didn't bring that up with his doctor.

I will also note that my Primary was a bit too trusting of a simple ECG to catch what was going on in my heart. What got his attention was a Tachycardia attack that spanned 54 minutes and had my heart racing at 175 bpm while I was sitting on a couch. Lesson here is that if you think something isn't right with your heart insist on getting a Stress Test. That one simple test can be a real life saver.

Note; the chain of test I've been thru is extensive and expensive.

First was a Holter Monitor for 24 hours. That showed PVC's and PAC's (premature contractions of the Atrium and Ventrical). Next was 2 weeks on a Cardiac Event Monitor 24/7. Showed the same premature contraction events.

Next was a special sort of Stress Test that used a radiactive die and Imaging of the heart before and after the Stress Test. That showed more premature contractions, mainly Left Ventrical (the most dangerous) and Mitral Valve regurgitation. I also tested at 14 METS which is about double the score for the average person my age, so I am quite fit in spite of the heart issues.

Next was a Heart Catheterization using an approach thru one arm. BTW, this test is a bit of a cake walk in terms on impact and I only had to lay off exercising for 2 days. Going in thru the Femoral Artery will have you resting for a full week with minimal walking allowed, because if the entry wound opens up you have a major bleed that can kill you. This test measured the degree of blockages and the Pulmonary Blood Pressure. In my case I had one artery 100% blocked at the tail end (peripherals picked up the load so no real impact), another artery at 55% and the LAD (the feeder for the Left Ventricle) at 80%. Note, Stents were not inserted because if the near certainty that the Mitral had to be repaired. Actual bypasses are preferred for a blockage because they last much longer than a Stent and aggressive blood thinners for life aren't required with a bypass. In my case due to my age the choice was to use a treatment that would last for 15 to 20 years, if I were 15 years older I would have been Stented and had a replacement valve inserted thru a Femoral Approach. BTW, my repair will be the addition of a support ring surrounding the Mitral Valve to draw it closed.

The Pulmonary Blood Pressure was high and caused by that leaky mitral valve. Note, this can ONLY be measured in the vessels at the heart, you can have normal to low blood pressure at the same time have Pulmonary Hypertension. Which can cause permanent damage to lungs and heart if left untreated for too long. BTW, one symptom of Pulmonary Hypertension can be a dry, non productive cough that can persist for 20 or 30 minutes or more. If you have a dry cough that persists do NOT assume it's just "dust" make sure to mention that to your Primary.

Next test was a Trans Esophogial Echocardiogram to take a look at the back side of my heart, another look at the mitral valve regurgitation, and the condition of the Aorta. This test sucks a bit. You have a sore throat for 2-3 days, swallowing will be difficult for 8-12 hours after the test, and the drugs they gave me to put me out made it difficult to pee for 6 hours after the test. Suggest anyone having this test ask for Flowmax to take before the test and 2-3 days after the test. A full bladder due to IV solutions and 30 minutes to get it sort of empty isn't fun at all. Test revealed minor accumulations in the Aorta and Mitral Valve regurgitation that was worse than what was seen during the Stress Test imaging.

Next up was a CT Scan from Waist to Neck to get better imaging to plan the surgical approach. That showed a 15mm "spot" on my left lung which led to a PET CT Scan. The PET scan uses a Glucose based radioactive die that will cause any Cancer to light up like a fireworks because Cancer cells all "feed" on Glucose and have a higher Glucose absorption rate than any other type of cell. The good news from that test was that from head to knees I am completely free of Cancer and that "spot" is probably scar tissue from a bout of pneumonia. For an ex smoker that is a HUGE sigh of relief. Note, if you have a family history of Cancer it may be advisable to ask your Primary about getting a PET CT Scan. Catch most Cancers early enough and they can be cured with relatively minor surgery. I'll also note that Colonoscopy's are a MUST for anyone over 50, they can catch polyps before the cells become cancer. I get one every 4 years and usually have 2-4 polyps that need trimming.

After all the tests I then had to see a dentist to get clearance for the Open Heart Surgery. Apparently they are veins in the jaw and gums that go pretty much straight to the heart so no surgeon today will touch you until a dentist certifies your mouth is completely free of infection. Note, it's a near guarantee that you'll end up having a full Scaling and Planing at a minimum. I'll also warn you that any tooth with too much bone loss will have to come out as will any tooth with even a hint of a cavity on the roots.

End result, on September 25 I see the periodontist to check my gums have healed fully from the scaling and planing with zero infection. If that happens I get my clearance for surgery. So on the 26th I have an appointment to see the cardiac surgeon. Hopefully I will finally get the ticker fixed first week in October and will be back at work 2 or 3 weeks later. Note, my doctor says my level of fitness should reduce my recovery time. He has seen some people back at work 2 weeks after Open Heart Surgery.

He also says that after full recovery my repaired Mitral Valve should allow me to run a 9 minute mile with ease. Since my current best is 11:12 for the mile (pre tachycardia attack) that would be a HUGE improvement. Might even be able to pass the minimum requirement for the Marines of 3 miles in less than 27 minutes.

I just had to ...




Link to original video: https://youtu.be/-TrOZRHB31c

The Jim Fixx story is a bit more complex too.

https://onceuponaparadigm.word...fixx-i-just-learned/

There are also some arguments that an imbalance of minerals such as calcium lead to calcification and "hardening" of the arteries.

the body makes 80-90 percent of the cholesterol it needs. High cholesterol is actually protective in later years of life. Government science is not. "vegatable" oils are not.

When your number is up...you're going to die.

Enjoy your life, enjoy your food, and live as long as you are supposed to.

I am ordering a pizza right now....

The article is interesting but written in a manner (and by authors) that suggests pre-existing skepticism of LDL causation and statin treatment benefit. I await critical review by experts more current with the issues than I.

Here is a systematic review by the Cochrane Collaboration, a very highly respected group that follows specific protocols for such reviews:

Cochrane systematic review of statin benefits and harms

From reviews I have done with an interdisciplinary group dealing with heart disease prevention in the past, it is clear that much of the benefit from statins is not attributable to LDL lowering; that the benefits in mortality reduction are much greater for those with known heart disease (secondary prevention, vs. primary prevention); and that studies have not shown significant harm.

There are limitations to systematic reviews, but they remain the current gold standard for evidence-based medicine.

I was a huge skeptic of statins when they first came out, but clinical trial results convinced me of their benefit.

quote:

Are you sure you were taking 800mg of Simvastatin?

Sorry, I meant 80mg, which was lowered to 40mg after a change to the recommended dosage.

So is olive oil bad? I ask in all seriousness. I figure corn, canola, etc., are not good for the body, but I thought olive, peanut, and sunflower oils were really beneficial. Am I wrong?

Olive oil, avocado, and coconut are good. I cook with coconut and avocado mostly.

Peanuts are actually legumes and inflammatory, so I figure the oil isn't great either. I've subbed Almond butter and like it as much or better anyway.