NetWellness Cardiac Rehabilitation

Carotid Arteries

Karen Kutoloski DO — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 22:11:00 EST

Question: My 46 year old mon just had a carotid artery test and was told that she has less than 50% blockage on the right and left. My question is- is there anything she can do to improve this. Are these numbers bad? Her own Mom died of a sudden heartattack at 39 years of age.

Answer: Carotid stenosis of < 50% is considered mild-moderate. Plaque build up in any artery can be helped with tight control of cholesterol levels, with either diet, exercise, medications or a combination of these. This will prevent progression of the stenosis.

Ask an Expert: Karen Kutoloski DO, Cardiac Rehabilitation

Medication for Triglycerides

Carmen Hadley RPh, CSPI — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 19:06:00 EST

Question: I had 2 stents inserted a month ago. I am on Lipitor 40mg. My triglycerides was 194, my cholesterol is 164. My doctor prescribed Simcor a new drug, however very expensive. Are there substitutes?

Answer: Simcor contains simvastatin and niacin. Lipitor contains atorvastatin. Both drugs are "statins" or drugs that block the enzyme which helps to make cholesterol in the body. In addition, Simcor has niacin for high triglycerides. Simcor combines 2 medicines for the convenience of a single tablet. It ma . . .

Ask an Expert: Carmen Hadley RPh, CSPI, Cardiac Rehabilitation

Red Yeast Rice and Statin Therapy

Glen Aukerman MD — Mon, 19 May 2008 11:05:00 EST

Question: Is red yeast rice a viable alternative to statin therapy? And what about plant sterols/stanols?

Answer:

Red rice yeast contains a statin, lovastatin, so needs liver tests to follow for risk of liver damage. Plant sterols are useful, but not reliable.

Ask an Expert: Glen Aukerman MD, Cardiac Rehabilitation

Mixing Medications

Carmen Hadley RPh, CSPI — Thu, 15 May 2008 19:05:00 EST

Question: What could happen to me if I was to take 2 Adderall 40 mg each, 1 Ibuprofen 500 mg, and 2 muscle relaxants 10 mg each?

Answer:

This question is best answered by the physician who knows your medical history as well as the drugs you take.

Adderall is a brand of amphetamine and dextramphetamine. This drug is compatible with ibuprofen and most muscle relaxant drugs. The drug doses may or . . .

Ask an Expert: Carmen Hadley RPh, CSPI, Cardiac Rehabilitation

Calcium Scoring CT Scan

NetWellness Staff . — Mon, 12 May 2008 16:05:00 EST

Question: Due to Large-Particle High LDL, a CT Coronary Calcium Score test has been suggested to me. However, I`ve read that this test can provide a false-negative result because it doesn`t measure soft plaque. It can also provide a false-positive result in that it can show damage when there is none leading t . . .

Answer: Thank you for visiting NetWellness. On this site, NetWellness experts try to answer general questions about health. Only a health professional performing a thorough clinical exam is able to evaluate your symptoms and recommend any testing. However, NetWellness may have some general information avail . . .

Ask an Expert: NetWellness Staff ., Cardiac Rehabilitation

OMEGA-3`s

NetWellness Staff . — Mon, 12 May 2008 16:05:00 EST

Question: Is it true that Omega-3`s can increase LDL--but that this is okay because the LDL that is increased is the "large-particle" kind? And if that is true, then is it also true that high LDL is not even worrisome--as long as it is the "large-particle" kind? I have high LDL (229), . . .

Answer: Thank you for visiting NetWellness. On this site, NetWellness experts try to answer general questions about health. Only a health professional performing a thorough clinical exam is able to evaluate your symptoms and render an opinion. However, NetWellness may have some general information available . . .

Ask an Expert: NetWellness Staff ., Cardiac Rehabilitation

HDL Cholesterol

Karen Kutoloski DO — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 03:11:00 EST

Question: I wonder if HDL cholesterol can be too high, while the LDL is low. If so, should I lower my HDL cholesterol? Thank you.

Answer: HDL cholesterol, or so-called "good" cholesterol, is one of three different kinds of cholesterol in your body. The other two kinds are LDL and VLDL cholesterol. HDL stands for high-density lipoprotein. The lipoproteins are a kind of fatty protein cell that carries fat around in your body and in your . . .

Ask an Expert: Karen Kutoloski DO, Cardiac Rehabilitation

Triglycerides

Karen Kutoloski DO — Sun, 25 Nov 2007 21:11:00 EST

Question:

I am 47 years old I way 187 lbs 5`7" I took a health test at work my triglycerides are at 274. What can I do too lower them to normal and what is normal at my age?

Answer:

The American Heart Association has set guidelines for triglyceride levels:

Level mg/dL Interpretation:

<150 Normal range, low risk
150-199 Borderline high
200-499 High
>500 Very high, high risk

High triglyceride levels . . .

Ask an Expert: Karen Kutoloski DO, Cardiac Rehabilitation

Blood Pressure Reading

Jackson Wright MD, PhD, FACP — Sun, 04 Nov 2007 11:11:00 EST

Question:

I take blood pressure medication. My blood pressure reading is 132/96. My doctor does not seem concerned.

Do you think this is a problem?

Answer: Most guidelines around the world including those from the US National Heart Lung and Blood Institute at the NIH, recommend that blood pressures in the provider's office should be treated to maintain it consistently less than 140/90. If you have diabetes or kidney disease, it should be cons . . .

Ask an Expert: Jackson Wright MD, PhD, FACP, Cardiac Rehabilitation

Echo Bruising

Karen Kutoloski DO — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 14:08:00 EST
Question: I got a Echo done and while she was doing it I asked her to put more gel on it because she was rubbing my skin with the machine. A few days after the test I got bruises where she did the test. Is that normal and could that mean that my platelets are to low?
Answer: Occasionally, when an echo is performed, the tech has to push to get an image. If you bruise easily, or are on medications like blood thinners or aspirin, you might get a bruise from the probe. If you want to find out if your platelets are low, you can ask your doctor to perform a blood test.
Ask an Expert: Karen Kutoloski DO, Cardiac Rehabilitation