“High cholesterol?”
I'm a 33 year old man and have recently been diagnosed with high cholesterol. Supposedly it is almost twice as high as normal. There is a history of high cholesterol in my family (my maternal grandfather had high cholesterol as well) and I was already diagnosed with higher than normal cholesterol in my early twenties during a routine blood test. I don't remember how high it was back then.
My blood pressure and EKG show no abnormalities. I exercise 3-4 times a week (mostly running), usually around 30 minutes but also more rarely up to 60 minutes. Otherwise, my lifestyle is quite sedentary as I work on a PC most of the day. My diet contains some amounts of fat but is not particularly focused on fried foods. This week we are having the following foods:
-Cabbage rolls
-Lentil stew (may contain some pork sausage)
-Salmon (pan-fried) with rice and vegetables
-Chicken wings (baked) with rice and vegetables
-Beef dumplings
I weigh ca. 93 kg at a height of 184 cm, but this is partially due to some excess muscle mass leftover from when I used to lift weights for about a decade until about three years ago. That being said, I could probably lose a few pounds as well. But I'm not what you would call obese as might be suggested just from my BMI based on height and weight alone.
My doctor has suggested putting me on medication to lower my cholesterol. That would pretty much require me to take said medication for the rest of my life. I'm somewhat wary of being put on such medication permanently at my age, but if the general consensus is that this is the best thing for my health I will of course listen to the experts.
A second opinion and advice from a cardiologist would be highly appreciated.
My blood pressure and EKG show no abnormalities. I exercise 3-4 times a week (mostly running), usually around 30 minutes but also more rarely up to 60 minutes. Otherwise, my lifestyle is quite sedentary as I work on a PC most of the day. My diet contains some amounts of fat but is not particularly focused on fried foods. This week we are having the following foods:
-Cabbage rolls
-Lentil stew (may contain some pork sausage)
-Salmon (pan-fried) with rice and vegetables
-Chicken wings (baked) with rice and vegetables
-Beef dumplings
I weigh ca. 93 kg at a height of 184 cm, but this is partially due to some excess muscle mass leftover from when I used to lift weights for about a decade until about three years ago. That being said, I could probably lose a few pounds as well. But I'm not what you would call obese as might be suggested just from my BMI based on height and weight alone.
My doctor has suggested putting me on medication to lower my cholesterol. That would pretty much require me to take said medication for the rest of my life. I'm somewhat wary of being put on such medication permanently at my age, but if the general consensus is that this is the best thing for my health I will of course listen to the experts.
A second opinion and advice from a cardiologist would be highly appreciated.
Male | 33 years old
2 Answers
This is a common question. By definition you have “familial hyperlipidemia” - a genetically based cause for high cholesterol. Most family members have have examples of early onset of vascular disease (heart attacks, strokes, peripheral vascular disease). It sounds like you are doing everything to keep yourself health but as they say:”you can’t pick your parents”. Statins were designed to treat this condition and prevent the ravages of vascular disease. If you need more motivation, some doctors will order a calcium score ((CAC), which measures non invasively the amount of plaque build up in the coronary arteries. Statins are very well tolerated and significantly reduce events in patients with coronary disease and those with familial hyperlipidemia. Do your research but you may need to referred to a lipid specialist for guidance.
You may want to lose weight. Exercise every day for 30 minutes. (walking and aerobic exercise) Go on a Mediterranean diet (Nuts, fruits, vegetables, olive oil, fish, no red meat, chicken, and fish). You do not need statin medicine life long, Depending on your cholesterol level, you may need statin for a short time if you follow diet and exercise. Good luck.
