Now Where Did I Put My Lipitor?

[haha]

Arch Neurol -- Abstract: Association of Higher Levels of High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol in Elderly Individuals and Lower Risk of Late-Onset Alzheimer Disease, December 2010, Reitz et al. 67 (12): 1491

Study finds higher levels of HDL associated with lower prevalence of Alzheimer's. Also higher total cholesterol associated with lower AD prevalence.

Ha

 

[M Paquette]

Eh? Is this the medical version of the Laws of Thermodynamics?

Zeroth: You must play the game.
First: You can't win.
Second: You can't break even.
Third: You can't quit the game.

 

[RonBoyd]

The Doctor called yesterday with the results of Monday's (routine) Blood Work:

Total Cholesteraol = 158
LDL = 87
HDL = 53
Trigs = 89

He told me that was "Great!" Should I send him back to school? Or should (will) I just forget about it?

(I guess, I should mention that those are "drug-free" numbers.)

 

[donheff]

Now that is interesting. My last labs showed high HDL but marginally high total cholesterol. My Doc upped my statins. According to this maybe I was good to go? Or do you suppose people with the higher totals were dying off earlier so that category never got to the Alzheimer's stage?

 

[FIRE'd@51]

Total Cholesterol = HDL + LDL + 0.2 x Triglycerides

Thus, everything else equal, your total cholestrol will increase point for point with the HDL (the good cholesterol). So a higher total cholesterol caused by an increase in HDL is a good thing, not a bad thing.

 

[RonBoyd]

Total Cholesterol = HDL + LDL + 0.2 x Triglycerides.

?? Using my numbers from above:

87 + 53 + 0.2 X 89 = 12,477.8 not 158 as reported.

 

[FIRE'd@51]

?? Using my numbers from above:

87 + 53 + 0.2 X 89 = 12,477.8 not 158 as reported.

87 + 53 + 0.2 x 89 = 87 + 53 + 17.8 = 157.8

 

[RonBoyd]

87 + 53 + 0.2 x 89 = 87 + 53 + 17.8 = 157.8

Okay. Still don't get it. Where did the 17.8 come from?

Oh! The formula is actually 87 + 53 + (0.2 X 89) = 157.8

Duh. I am a little slow this morning.

 

[M Paquette]

Okay. Still don't get it. Where did the 17.8 come from?

Oh! The formula is actually 87 + 53 + (0.2 X 89) = 157.8

Duh. I am a little slow this morning.

See? Math IS hard. This probably also explains the problems with Quicken everyone has...

 

[REWahoo]

See? Math IS hard.

So I've heard.

 

[GregLee]

Total Cholesteraol = 158
LDL = 87
HDL = 53
Trigs = 89

He told me that was "Great!" Should I send him back to school?

No, it's great. Here are my scores for the last two years:

Total: 224 215 202 201 195
 LDL:  152 146 131  90 107
 HDL:   61  51  57  95  74

I should eat less cheese.

 

[RonBoyd]

See? Math IS hard. This probably also explains the problems with Quicken everyone has...

Well, there's my problem. I understood it was the numbers that is hard.

 

[RonBoyd]

I should eat less cheese.

I eat a lot of cheese... and red meat also... and bacon... at least, two eggs a day (sometimes 4-6).

FWIW, I am one of those who believe Cholesterol is not influenced (significantly) by diet.

 

[tmm99]

No, it's great. Here are my scores for the last two years:

Total: 224 215 202 201 195
 LDL:  152 146 131  90 107
 HDL:   61  51  57  95  74

I should eat less cheese.

How did you get the HDL of 95? Were you doing something different then?

 

[obgyn65]

Interesting, thanks for sharing Ha.

 

[GregLee]

How did you get the HDL of 95? Were you doing something different then?

I don't know. My doctor suggested that my rising HDL levels might be due to the fish oil capsules I've been taking, but I didn't take an especially large number of them before 9/01/10, when I got the 95 score.

 

[TromboneAl]

I took this info to my doc, but he didn't seem that concerned...

 

[FIRE'd@51]

I believe the important thing is the ratio of LDL to HDL. On my lab printout it says that a LDL/HDL ratio of 3.55 denotes average cardiovascular risk for a male. A ratio of 1.0 reduces this risk by 50%.

Also, I have read that a ratio of Tryglycerides/HDL > 3 indicates insulin resistance and may be a marker for predisposition to diabetes.