May I ask you your credentials in this field - why I should accept your scoring of my lipid profile instead of the lipidologist who reported commented to me?

Per this lab's standards, my triglycerides are only slightly above cut off for "borderline high" therefore not "very high" per you. This is admittedly too high but I know it's a function of diet - I react strongly to carbs. My previous panel (when I wasn't overdoing carbs) scored me at 85 .

Furthermore, my HDL is "normal" not "high"., while my total cholesterol is 209 - only 9 above "normal" (200) while 201- 239 is "borderline high" at this lab, mitigated by the HDL score.

Statins are not risk-free by any means - certainly not to be taken to treat a single elevated results (triglycerides) when they can be treated by a lifestyle change - diet.

My blood pressure is quite variable but averages about 115/62.

I think you are quite an alarmist - especially undesirable as stress is one of the most damaging lifestyle factors. (I notice you didn't comment on my lipoprotein (A) score - extraordinarily healthy.)

My only certain cardiac risk factor is my arrhythmia, for which I take Xarelto and Metoprolol PRN. That said, I WOULD like to know how much plaque build-up exists in my arteries as my cholesterol was quite high even when I was in my 20s. I suspect that was because of the special diets I tried for weight loss after gaining 20 lbs for no discernible reason.

I learned soon after my thyroid had conked out and began taking Synthroid - 2 mg at first (high). However, I ate per calorie counting for some time (organ meats and whole grains, more sweets than were good for me) trying to lose weight because of the weight gain. Overall OK, but not for a carb-sensitive person. I also wasn't attending to side effects (I ate so many raw carrots, I developed carotenemia!).

Unfortunately, there really isn't any way to get rid of pre-existing plaque - the main reason, some tests (like CAC and C+reactive protein) aren't approved by insurance. They reason there's no sense in testing for something for which there is no treatment. (Nonetheless, I'm eating as healthy as I can, plus the exercise and low weight maintenance - NOT easy for me!) I also take numerous anti-oxidants, including niacin. All that is to make sure I make the best lifestyle choices, calculating cost-benefit risks.

Sometimes I slack off but mostly my lab results are acceptable. - even good. FWIW those lifestyle choices are very important for my overall health, including brain and retinas (would never have guessed the latter)! My brothers who took statins for their higher lipid scores, are/were both obese. As I may have mentioned, one brother who had the most cardiac issues (stents, mild heart attack before 40) finally passed away recently presumably from either a heart attack or stroke. However, he had developed rhabdomyalysis leading to kidney damage . That' was especially worrying as our father died of kidney failure.

Everything has its trade-offs.