Anonymous wrote:I did not, but my father did. He had a couple severe blockages. Vegetarian diet.

Same. My dad had 2 heart attacks and was vegan. He was 6ft tall, 155lbs, non-smoker. Sometimes diet can't overcome genes. I am female and my doctor wanted me to get tested. My score was high for my age (50s), so I am on a statin and they watch my blood pressure carefully. Since going on the statin, my C-reactive protein is under 0.5 and cholesterol has stabilized at 140. No glucose issues. I exercise and keep my weight down, so I figure, that's all I can do. My OB-Gyn recommended no HRT though luckily I don't have menopause symptoms.

Good luck OP. Find a good cardiologist is my best advice.

Anonymous wrote:If you need to take statins, please take the following with it -

- CoQ10
- Omega 3-fatty acids (a tablespoon of roasted, ground up soaked flaxseed works wonders)
- Vitamin D3
- Vitamin K2 MK7
- Magnesium

Nonsense.

And statins are NOT bad or dangerous at dosages prescribed by one’s MD — that is pure anti-science crap. Statins save many lives, as numerous *large* studies with good controls have shown (e.g., Framingham study). Results have been reproducible for decades across multiple studies.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is all very interesting. Not OP but in a similar situation. My very cursory take is that statins are controversial until you have a calcium score above 100 (that’s me) and then they are the only answer. Does that seem reasonable? I hate the idea of a statin but I don’t want to chance an event. I’m the picture of health, btw.

Lots of things affect your calcium score. I would take a statin. But I’m not anti-statin as is the current sentiment on this board.

...but people have stories of being on statins then their calcium score skyrockets. Does anyone know if they are linked or these people are just genetically unlucky all around?

Yes I am aware and know people in that camp. That’s why I posted that many things affect your calcium score.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is all very interesting. Not OP but in a similar situation. My very cursory take is that statins are controversial until you have a calcium score above 100 (that’s me) and then they are the only answer. Does that seem reasonable? I hate the idea of a statin but I don’t want to chance an event. I’m the picture of health, btw.

Lots of things affect your calcium score. I would take a statin. But I’m not anti-statin as is the current sentiment on this board.

...but people have stories of being on statins then their calcium score skyrockets. Does anyone know if they are linked or these people are just genetically unlucky all around?

Anonymous wrote:This is all very interesting. Not OP but in a similar situation. My very cursory take is that statins are controversial until you have a calcium score above 100 (that’s me) and then they are the only answer. Does that seem reasonable? I hate the idea of a statin but I don’t want to chance an event. I’m the picture of health, btw.

Lots of things affect your calcium score. I would take a statin. But I’m not anti-statin as is the current sentiment on this board.

This is all very interesting. Not OP but in a similar situation. My very cursory take is that statins are controversial until you have a calcium score above 100 (that’s me) and then they are the only answer. Does that seem reasonable? I hate the idea of a statin but I don’t want to chance an event. I’m the picture of health, btw.

DH was on statins for 20 yrs starting age 30. Cholesterol numbers seemed somewhat ok. At age 50 he had a calcium score done and score was 500. Just saying. He actually is on pcsk9 and bempedoic acid now with Zetia. Statins he stopped bc it was causing his liver to get stressed. But if we didn't have pcsk9 he'd still be on statins no doubt.

I'm 53 and have been on statins (or various kinds and doses) for over 20 years. My total cholesterol was fine to start with but I have a terrible history of heart disease in my family so they want my cholesterol to be better than good. Started off with 10mg of Lipitor then 20. I'm never had a symptom (heart pain, shortness of breath, etc) in my life. Take my statin every day. never had a side effect. Every few years, my cardiologist has me do some sort of test/scan in addition to blood work. stress test, blood flow tests, carotid artery tests, etc. They've always been fine. This year, he had me do a heart CT scan and they found that my LAD was anywhere from 50-70% blocked. They can't do anything if there are no symptoms and it's not at least 80% blocked so they put me on 10mg of Crestor. The goal is to get my "bad" cholesterol as low as possible even though my over all cholesterol is good. I think it's like 140-150. My calcium score also is that good. I don't know where it started but I believe the last time it was checked it was 100, but the doctor told me that once you start on a statin, you calcium score will go up. So I have no idea what's going on, but as someone mentioned, Twitter is saying...it's not cholesterol! It's sugar and processed carbs. I'm not saying I don't believe it's not cholesterol but I'm starting to believe that sugar is the devil. PS: I've never taken CoQ10, or those other votamins, with my statin. I'm not sure what that would help with but never has my cardiologist recommended them. What do they do? I do take an Omega-3 pill every day....kids are allergic to fish so Omega-3 are hard to come by.

Anonymous wrote:Great. Another thread with no consensus and no facts. What's a high risk person to do? mY oWN rEseARch?

The posters here will only support diet changes. I believe lemon water is the current cureall.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Cardiac calcium score is still a questionable metric. Statins are dangerous. Dementia dangerous.

Nope it’s actually the one cardiac marker that matters the most.

I just posted about my Dad. His cardiologist didn’t think it was a metric that conveyed enough significance. But it turned out, for Dad at least, he was wrong.

I did not, but my father did. He had a couple severe blockages. Vegetarian diet.

Great. Another thread with no consensus and no facts. What's a high risk person to do? mY oWN rEseARch?

Anonymous wrote:Cardiac calcium score is still a questionable metric. Statins are dangerous. Dementia dangerous.

Nope it’s actually the one cardiac marker that matters the most.

Anonymous wrote:Cardiac calcium score is still a questionable metric. Statins are dangerous. Dementia dangerous.

But statins decrease inflammation and inflammation is the great Satan.

If you need to take statins, please take the following with it -

- CoQ10
- Omega 3-fatty acids (a tablespoon of roasted, ground up soaked flaxseed works wonders)
- Vitamin D3
- Vitamin K2 MK7
- Magnesium