Today was my first post-discharge checkup after angioplasty & stenting (had an 80% lesion opened up and two like insignificant ones ignored). Bloodwork gave excellent results (total lipids around 200, ratio about 3.5), but the doctor says I will have to take statins for rest of my life, to be on the safer side, regardless whether I can keep my cholesterol levels steady with diet & excercise or not. Doctor says statins can give me additional safety of on not having a plaque rupture or clot formation. Somehow this doesnt sound very convncing to me..
For a person who dreams of a reversal (who doesnt?) it iskind of depressing to think about being on statin for life.. Is this extra safety thingy true? Somehow it beats my logic.. but I am no doc.
Wishing cures and reversals for all the healing hearts out there
I have CAD that led to congested heart failure. My cholesterol has always been in the acceptable range (148, HDL 38, LDL 95....expected range <200, 30-70, 50-160 respectfully) and have not been put on statins.
I expect the rationale for caution and put one on statins would be that some people are vulnerable due to genetics, ie, and may have a family history of CAD and high cholesterol.
Subsequent to my stent procedure 14 months ago I was on Plavix as an extra precaution for clots at site of lesion for about 6 months, and I continue with aspirin. It is my understanding that statins help prevent plaque, and we know plaque can block (clot!) blood flow.
In my case meds have reversed remodeling (heart size now in acceptable range) and there has been a reduction in mitral regurgitation.
I have CAD that led me to stenting last months and im on thinners (plavix, aspirin) statin (crestor) and cholesterol inhibitor (ezetrol). I had multiple factors thart probably led to CAD. (genetic, physical & dietary). My doctor also told me to stick on to statin will be a wise choice, so long as you dont get liver diseases or muscular damage. His logic is very simple- plaque rupture is pretty serious, statins may prevent them. Liver & muscular damages are not as fatal as a rupture & clot formation in the arteries. I dont know if this is truth, the whole truth and nothing but truth, but I believe him, im left with no option than to follow whatever the doc says.
If you must take a Statin for the duration....try and take the lowest amount possible. I don't believe that the "alot helps more" rule applies here. I have had 5 stents and 1 quad bypass, which failed a month and a half later. I know survive on 2 "working" grafts. I DO take Zocor and Zetia.............half a pill, which would make it 10mg and 5mg's. My chol is 123.I believe the med helps with inflamation too. Listen to your body and what it's telling you. Good luck in your adventure!!
Thans kenkeith, bharat& bogie.
Looks like statins are to continue for me too, since evryone had their docs prescribing statins. My body is somewhat ok with them, so going by bogie principle, i need them!
Happy healing, friends. I feel much better now, we are going to fight and keep the pump working fine! God bless!!
Since anyone who has had angioplasty (me included) has PROVEN himself to be a plaque producer and usually has several "unplastied" arteries that are running at 30,40, 50% blockage. In order to keep these from growing to dangerous proportions and in the hope of even shrinking them, a life of statins which give preposterously low blood lipids is the goal of treatment.
I have my LDL's down into the 80's or 70's (mostly with Lipitor) and am still working every conceivable diet angle to get them even lower and/or my HDL's higher.
To my way of thinking, ANYTHING to avoid bypass surgery, heart attack, or a slow death from congestive heart failure is a small price to pay so I am VERY happy to continue Lipitor (or a cheaper generic next year) for the rest of my long life! I saw my mother die over a decade with progressively clogging arteries before statins were developed and a death like that isn't pretty to watch much less to suffer through. I curse many of the stupid "modern developments" in medicine, but statins is one of the developements for which I am eternally grateful.
Lenin,
Without any doubt I would state anywhere that statins are wonderful medicines. I am the living proof. Crestor-20mg (rosuvastatin) brought my LDL from 275 to 140 in just 10 days. Nothing else on earth- medicine, diet, inhibitor, herb or excercise can make this happen. Both my uncles lost their battle with cholestrol when they were my age- since they didnt invent statins & PTCA during that time.
But the stuff has a price atatched to it, now lipid levels of you and me look pretty, shouldnt we think of liver & muscle damage as well? The objective is to LIVE LONG not just keep the arteries open.
As you said, I may be having several "minor" "harmless" "dont-worry-about-that" blockages too. These are in fact more dangerous than major one which was stented, since young and smaller plaque possess the risk of erupting more easily and often, compared to that long evolved one which caused angina. Is there any reliable study that says statins can prevent plaques from breaking open and letting blood clot? If there is any such effect, taking statin lifelong is a wise option.(One thing I never understood is why blood clots inside arteries. We learned in school it clots only when there is air contact?)
Happy healing! Today I met a fellow who had a CABG done two decades back.He is still a wonderful sportsman with all grafts still open..
! I had missed that section altogether
) for the rest of my long life!
I saw my mother die over a decade with progressively clogging arteries before statins were developed and a death like that isn't pretty to watch much less to suffer through. I curse many of the stupid "modern developments" in medicine, but statins is one of the developements for which I am eternally grateful.
not just keep the arteries open. 
