Lp(a) cholesterol has been of great interest to many of you, and we’ve had many comments posted on the topic. I’d like to take the opportunity to answer a sound question from a concerned mom, because it is exemplary of what folks often ask us in the office that all of you can benefit from it.…
For years I have been advising you to monitor a dangerous, small, dense cholesterol particle known as Lipoprotein A, or Lp(a). A higher level of this inflammatory substance in the bloodstream increases the “stickiness” of blood, and contributes dramatically to the formation of clots and the…
You’ve heard me say time and again that reducing cholesterol is not the magic bullet that will prevent heart attack and stroke. I stand by this statement wholeheartedly—but I don’t want you to interpret it to mean that cholesterol is unimportant. Optimum cardiovascular health requires…
Lipoprotein A, or Lp(a), is a component of LDL or “bad” cholesterol and high levels of it in your blood can be a serious heart risk factor. According to an article in the 1997 Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), Lp(a) appears to regulate clot formation (thrombosis) and inhibit…
Lately, Dr. Sinatra has been getting a lot of questions about the very small, dense, and highly inflammatory cholesterol particle known as lipoprotein(a)—or Lp(a) for short. Good questions! Dr. Sinatra is one cardiologist who just doesn’t think that total cholesterol levels are the evil…
Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 Lipoprotein(a), or Lp(a), is a component of LDL or “bad” cholesterol. LDL cholesterol levels that are too high can lead to cardiovascular problems…
Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 Drugs typically prescribed for reducing cholesterol have no impact on Lp(a) levels. In fact, a study involving these drugs showed an increase in Lp(a)…
To offset the inflammation caused by elevated Lp(a) levels, Dr. Sinatra recommends that you try one or more of the following: * Niacin: Take up to a total daily dose of 1 gram (1 gram=1,000 mg) taken in one or two doses. Start at a dose of 125mg, then double it as tolerated, up to the full amount.…
As you may remember, last week I wrote a blog called 5 Things Your Cardiologist Won’t Tell You. In that blog, I invited readers to ask any cardiology questions they had—and I’ll be answering all of them in future blog posts. Today, I wanted to answer a question asked by Melanie. She wrote,…
Sometimes the need for a cardiologist is clear cut. If you have a heart attack, stroke, or other cardiac event you will definitely need a cardiologist’s care. But for many people the decision of whether to see a cardiologist, or let a general practitioner keep tabs on their heart health, is a bit…
I’m sure that many people were dismayed to hear that popular comedienne and talk show host Rosie O’Donnell just suffered a heart attack that required an emergency medical intervention. But what happened to Ms. O’Donnell is just a reminder that heart disease is something that every woman needs…
Many doctors, including cardiologists, look at all the wrong numbers when it comes to cholesterol. If your cholesterol is over 220 mg/dl they get worried—if it’s over 300 mg/dl they panic. Then, they put you on statin drugs to bring down the “bad” LDL cholesterol and to help raise the…
You may remember that last month, I wrote about breast cancer awareness and the importance of raising awareness about this dreaded disease. Today I want to share another message of urgent importance to women: As bad as breast cancer may be, you are far more likely to die of heart disease. Women are…
Coronary artery disease is by far the most common cardiovascular problem, but do you really know what it is? You may have heard of the term atherosclerosis, which refers to the buildup of plaque in the blood vessels. Essentially, coronary artery disease is a form of atherosclerosis that affects the…
Statin drugs are a complex medication. In addition to their ability to help you maintain healthy cholesterol levels, statin drugs have been known to help stabilize plaque in acute coronary syndromes. Therefore, it makes sense that they have a probable impact on the calcification process and may…
When someone realizes I’m a cardiologist, some of the most frequent questions I get are about whether different everyday activities are harmful to the heart. In some cases, the answers are exactly what the person would expect—for instance you shouldn’t be overweight. But some of the other…
On this, the last day of Heart Awareness Month, I thought I'd talk a bit about strokes. The thought of you or a loved one suffering a stroke is very scary. I have firsthand experience with this. I was 13 when my paternal grandmother died from a massive stroke. In addition to causing death, stroke…
It's been a week since those New Year's resolutions kicked in, and I hope you still feel enthusiastic about the changes you want to make. I also hope that one of your goals is to live a healthier lifestyle, whether through regular exercise, a more nutritious diet, or a new outlook that helps reduce…
Earlier this week, research came out saying that anger and other strong emotions can trigger potentially deadly heart rhythms and cardiac arrest. It was another piece of health "news" that's hardly new--I've been seeing this very thing in patients for 30 years--but I'm still glad that this…
The last years of the twentieth century gave rise to a new set of heart risk factors that I call toxic blood indicators: * C-reactive protein, * interleukin-6, * homocysteine, * fibrinogen, * lipoprotein (a) or Lp(a), and * ferritin (iron). These blood elements are helping to explain why people…
If I had to pick one nutrient I receive the most questions about, it’s niacin (vitamin B3). That’s probably because many doctors, including cardiologists, are still in the dark about the heart-protective powers of this single nutrient. Here’s what your doctor should be telling you about…
September is World Alzheimer’s Month. It’s also the month it became time for my mother-in-law Peg to move into an extended care facility (ECF) due to her vascular dementia (VaD). So, what is VaD? While it’s often mistaken for Alzheimer’s disease because mental functioning slowly…
If you've read my recent posts about cholesterol, you probably have some questions. And the biggest one may be, "Doc, if cholesterol isn't dangerous, then what heart risk factors should I keep an eye on?" It's a good question--and one that anyone who wants to minimize their odds of developing…
Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE The following eight tips can help you improve blood circulation and even reduce your risk of stroke: * Address any lifestyle-related or heart risk factors you have with your doctor. * Follow a good cardiovascular nutrition eating program, such as the…
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