How to lower triglycerides and cholesterol levels?

Question

Hi doctor,

I am a 36-year-old male with borderline cholesterol. Total cholesterol 200 and triglyceride 200 to 350 mg/dL. I had a TMT test and heart echo last year, which were normal. This year, I checked homocysteine, troponin-I, and myoglobulin, which were also found to be normal. My three-month-old ECG was also normal. My BP is 120/85 mmHg. I do not have any bad habits. Sometimes, I will drink 30 mL of alcohol, and that is maybe once or twice a year. My blood sugar is 90 to 95 mg/dL. I want you to suggest some additional blood tests, which can give an alert for any tumor or blockage and an indication for brain stroke or heart attack. How do I lower my triglyceride and total cholesterol? I have tried all the conventional methods. Kindly advice.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I have seen all your reports in detail (attachment removed to protect patient identity). Firstly, I would say that you are a non-smoker and a normotensive person. You are in your late 30s. Your TMT (treadmill test) and echo were normal, and all the cardiac enzymes were normal. Your sole risk factor is borderline elevated cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Your lipid profile is not grossly deranged. To lower your triglycerides and cholesterol, I would like to suggest the following: Please consult your specialist doctor, discuss with him or her, and take the medicines with consent. I suggest taking tablet with the combination of Atorvastatin and Fenofibrate 10/160 mg daily at bedtime for three months. You would have to repeat a lipid profile after three months. Strenuous exercise should be done at least six days a week for 45 minutes per day. Take three types of oils and alter them every month. In general, 50 to 70 mL of alcohol twice a week is cardioprotective and offers protection against any blockage.

For your query regarding blockage, I would like to tell you that fatty streak (blocks) formation starts at the age of 10 years in human beings. So, every human more than 10 years of age has some amount of blockage in his coronary arteries (heart supplying artery), but only a blockage of more than 75 % is significant and needs to be treated. Echocardiogram and TMT (treadmill test) have a sensitivity rate of about 70 % individually, and in combination, this sensitivity also increases. As of now, you are totally asymptomatic. You are a non-smoker and occasional alcoholic, with all blood reports normal.

A premature stroke or CAD (coronary artery disease - heart disease) is very unlikely in early or late 30s unless a very strong family history is there or the person is a chronic smoker. My suggestion is to follow the medicine I suggested to you for three months and thereafter repeat your lipid profile. But, if you want to be fully sure that you do not have a coronary artery blockage or stroke risk, then I would suggest you go to the following. Stress thallium test (stress MIBI gated thallium with SPECT). This test has a sensitivity rate of more than 97 % and is a very usefultest. MRI brain - in case of any thrombus or ischemic area (compromised blood supply), it would locate it.

I would like to know if you have done all these tests as a part of a preventive checkup. Secondly, is there any history of CAD or stroke in your family before 55 years of age? What is your anxiety level and sleep cycle? Anxiety is a major risk factor for CAD and stroke. Also, how is your lifestyle, either sedentary or moderate?

I hope this helps.

Please revert so I can assist you further.

Thank you.

Answer 2

Hi,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

I wish you a happy recovery. If possible, send your TMT (treadmill test) graphs. I would like to see your exercise tolerance, treadmill score, echo recordings, and detailed reports provided by your cardiologist.

I hope this helps.

Please revert so I can assist you further.

Thank you.