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First time on CHOLESTEROL medication
Heart & Blood Health | Last Active: Feb 11 7:57pm | Replies (10)Comment receiving replies
I never heard of a CRP test and it was not recommended by the PCP or cardiologist
This may be in my full blood work i had done, but I only checked the red numbers in the web portal report of some 25 or more blood results..
I was not told by either the PCP or Cardiologist that there may be underlying systemic inflammation that may cause making deposition of plaque easier on the endothelial layers of the arteries.
The stress test was a nuclear stress test. As stated, they said I reached 9 minutes and went to 10 METS, supposedly above avg. but I don't know what the number means. Cardiologist said the images and report shows good blood flow.
Cardiologist reported --- of your test is that you have good exercise capacity and the heart gets a blood flow at high exercise level.
As for top rated cardiologist, i did not have time to check into it. PCP said i need to get to a cardiologist ASAP due to the calcium score
I looked up cardiologist rated high in my area, but it was a 4-6 weeks or longer to get an appt.
I selected a cardiologist that had an opening in a 2 week period.
If I would not have had a Calcium Score test done and only the nuclear stress test, and based on the results, I don't know what the treatment plan would have been. I asked the cardiologist this and it was not answers directly and said "You have a good point that underscores the idea of cardiac testing..."
Replies to "I never heard of a CRP test and it was not recommended by the PCP or..."
You really need to review your numbers - all of them - and understand what they mean.
Between the blood numbers (and you absolutely should pay, if required, for an advanced lipids panel), and reading and understanding the summary assessment with numbers from the MPI, you will be busy for a few hours - looking up the terms and assessing your numbers vs normal numbers.
I second what @ativ1207 stated — a "good" nuclear stress test result should be taken with a grain of salt. My husband has gotten "normal" stress test results for over a decade; just learned last year that has has a severe blockage in his LAD that needs to be operated on.
He also has relatively normal cholesterol, but plaque can build anyway. In his case, they found he has a genetic predisposition, high lipoprotein (a) levels in his blood that essentially makes any cholesterol he does have "stickier."
Checking lipoprotein (a) is its own separate blood test that has to be run intentionally. In other words, lot of things basic blood panels could miss. I'd definitely follow-up with a cardiologist and ask lots of questions. Good luck to you!
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I had the nuclear stress done for 5 yrs. In a row because I kept passing out and test showed everything was fine. Another doctor wanted me to get the calcium score test. Went the following week for results and Dr. said this test probably saved my life because my score was high. Because my score was high it allowed me to get a catherization the next day. (I couldn’t get it before this because my stress test said everything was fine!!) Catherization showed I had a 90% blockage in me left aortic artery (widow maker) and had 2 stents put in. Get the calcium score test, it saved my life !!