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Slightly Overweight. Have Gilbert's Syndrome. Blood Work Done. Am I At Risk For Heart Disease?
Question: I have gilbert's syndrome. I just had my blood work done. My T.Bili is 1.2, my Triglycerides are 74, my HDL is 81, my LDL is 147 and my cholesterol is 243. I am quite active my daily activities include some of the following each day: gardening, brisk 50 minute walks around the hills with my dog or 30-50 minutes on my eliptical trainer. I am 63 year old female, slightly overweight 5'5" tall weight is 169. I have to say I eat a very good diet...lots of veg and fruit, red meat only once a week. Salmon at least once a week. I do drink alcohol almost daily 2 glasses of wine, sometimes 3. My question is this. Does the gilbert's have any function in the high cholesterol. Am I at risk for heart disease? Should I be taking a Statin Drug?
Hi friend
Welcome to Health Care Magic
• Gilbert's syndrome is mild; it has no relation to cholesterol.
• LDL (& non-HDL) is bad cholesterol – lower, the better. Your value of 147 is high for LDL cholesterol. In the absence of any other risk factor 100 is ideal. [130 was the limit before.] In the presence of ischemia, 70 should be the aim.
• HDL is good cholesterol – higher, the better. It is good in your case.
• It is rather surprising that the triglyceride is normal, in spite of alcohol! Couldn't you cut it down?
You are already doing excellent exercise.
You are on appropriate diet also.
The only option is to start a statin
Cholesterol and overweight are the only RISK factors in your case. Obviously, you have not mentioned others – No diabetes? No family history? No smoking?
Gilbert’s disease itself offers some PROTECTION (reduced risk) of Coronary Artery Disease.
HDL cholesterol offers protection.
Still, in the setting of high LDL, a statin is preferable. – But watch the liver function / HDL may also come down a bit!
These days primary prophylaxis is gaining ground. People in fifties, even without any disease – are taking ‘poly-pill.’ It is preferable to start a statin and low dose aspirin (80 to 100 mg).
Discuss with your personal physician / He will prescribe / you will need follow up / The tests have to be repeated in 6 weeks...
Take care
God bless
Good luck
Welcome to Health Care Magic
• Gilbert's syndrome is mild; it has no relation to cholesterol.
• LDL (& non-HDL) is bad cholesterol – lower, the better. Your value of 147 is high for LDL cholesterol. In the absence of any other risk factor 100 is ideal. [130 was the limit before.] In the presence of ischemia, 70 should be the aim.
• HDL is good cholesterol – higher, the better. It is good in your case.
• It is rather surprising that the triglyceride is normal, in spite of alcohol! Couldn't you cut it down?
You are already doing excellent exercise.
You are on appropriate diet also.
The only option is to start a statin
Cholesterol and overweight are the only RISK factors in your case. Obviously, you have not mentioned others – No diabetes? No family history? No smoking?
Gilbert’s disease itself offers some PROTECTION (reduced risk) of Coronary Artery Disease.
HDL cholesterol offers protection.
Still, in the setting of high LDL, a statin is preferable. – But watch the liver function / HDL may also come down a bit!
These days primary prophylaxis is gaining ground. People in fifties, even without any disease – are taking ‘poly-pill.’ It is preferable to start a statin and low dose aspirin (80 to 100 mg).
Discuss with your personal physician / He will prescribe / you will need follow up / The tests have to be repeated in 6 weeks...
Take care
God bless
Good luck
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
What is poly pill? I have never smoked, no diabetes or heart disease in my family. How much would losing 10-20 lbs do to help out...maybe 10% reduction.
Hello
Your Body Mass Index (BMI) is around 27 (over weight range). It can be calculated or directly obtained from standard tables. For you, less than 24 (down to 20 will be the normal range). A reduction to 150 pounds is good / 140- very good / 130- better / 120- best!
As common people say, probable weight in Kilograms is the last two digits of the height in Centimetres... and it should be 10% less if one has any problem...
Go about it slowly and steadily – aim for 3 to 4 pounds in a week
‘Polypill' is a combination of several drugs, in lower doses. They are used in prevention - in large scale, as in communities – for protection of heart [- also used in modified form for diabetics].
For the heart, it is a combination of Beta blocker (atenolol), Diuretic (thiazide) and Ace-blocker (lisinopril) – to reduce pressure / Statin – anti-inflammatory and cholesterol reduction / Aspirin (anti-platelet) – to reduce clotting by platelet adhesion / folic acid – to reduce homo-cysteine.
[Only Statin, Ace inhibitor, Aspirin and Metformin are used in Diabetes]
Regards
All the best
Your Body Mass Index (BMI) is around 27 (over weight range). It can be calculated or directly obtained from standard tables. For you, less than 24 (down to 20 will be the normal range). A reduction to 150 pounds is good / 140- very good / 130- better / 120- best!
As common people say, probable weight in Kilograms is the last two digits of the height in Centimetres... and it should be 10% less if one has any problem...
Go about it slowly and steadily – aim for 3 to 4 pounds in a week
‘Polypill' is a combination of several drugs, in lower doses. They are used in prevention - in large scale, as in communities – for protection of heart [- also used in modified form for diabetics].
For the heart, it is a combination of Beta blocker (atenolol), Diuretic (thiazide) and Ace-blocker (lisinopril) – to reduce pressure / Statin – anti-inflammatory and cholesterol reduction / Aspirin (anti-platelet) – to reduce clotting by platelet adhesion / folic acid – to reduce homo-cysteine.
[Only Statin, Ace inhibitor, Aspirin and Metformin are used in Diabetes]
Regards
All the best
Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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