5 myths about the treatment of atherosclerosis

Is it possible to lower cholesterol without medication:

Nadezhda Krylova, "Doctor Peter"

You can fight high cholesterol in the blood without pills, but this is not an easy task and does not always give the desired result. Even sports, which generally increase tone and are good for the heart and blood vessels, have a weaker effect on "bad" cholesterol, the main cause of atherosclerosis, than proper nutrition. Dr. Peter asked cardiologist Asiyat Aliyeva, head of the Center for Atherosclerosis and Lipid Metabolism Disorders, to comment on tips and "horror stories" about the prevention of this disease. Almazova.

Myth 1. Atherosclerosis can be cured

– Atherosclerosis cannot be cured, you can only "slow down" its development. One of the most frequent questions that patients ask: "If atherosclerosis is treated, will the plaques in the vessels disappear?". Low–density lipoproteins, which are commonly referred to as "bad" cholesterol, are the building blocks for the "construction" of cholesterol plaques. We remove the bricks – the plaques stop growing. Against the background of treatment, they may, figuratively speaking, "shrink", but they will not completely disappear. In addition, therapy will make them stable. After all, the problem is not always in increasing the size of the plaque, which, as it grows, blocks the lumen of the vessel. Its structure is also important. Sometimes the plaque is small, but loose, so it is prone to tears – a torn piece can also lead to a heart attack or stroke.

Cholesterol is the building material of cell membranes, which is synthesized in the body from fats, glucose, amino acids. This organic compound is necessary for the production of bile acids, sex hormones, vitamin D. According to its chemical structure, it belongs to the class of alcohols, therefore it is sometimes called "cholesterol".

Myth 2. Exercise reduces the level of "bad" cholesterol

– Partly a myth. Physical activity is generally good for the prevention of heart and vascular diseases, but it has little effect on the level of "bad" cholesterol. At the same time, sports can increase the level of "good" cholesterol in the blood – doctors observe this effect in professional athletes. In order for classes to benefit, regularity is important. Let it be short and not too intense loads, but you should try to perform them up to 4-5 times a week.
For the health of the heart and blood vessels, a dynamic, aerobic load is needed – no need to lift barbells. For cardio training, walking at a fast pace, running, cycling, lawn tennis, swimming, football are suitable. Everyone chooses according to their preferences and initial training. But in any case, it is necessary to start gradually – abrupt changes will not be a plus.

Myth 3. Strong alcohol "cleans" blood vessels and protects against atherosclerosis

– One of the recent foreign studies was devoted to the influence of wine on the risk of developing heart and vascular diseases. It showed that those who used to drink wine for a long time, but little by little, had no higher risk than those who did not drink it. However, many interpreted this study incorrectly at the time, believing that if you start drinking wine, you can improve the health of the heart and blood vessels. That's not so.

"I do not recall a major study that would confirm that vodka or other strong alcohol somehow "cleanses" the vessels of "bad" cholesterol. Alcoholic beverages are not useful for anyone, especially for those who already have heart problems. We always want a magic pill, but there isn't one. The idea is to regularly observe a set of measures, in fact, to form a proper lifestyle," says Asiyat Aliyeva.

Myth 4. You can only fight high cholesterol with statins

– Partly a myth. Cholesterol levels can be reduced without pills, but only if the norm is not exceeded much, and the risk of having a heart attack or stroke (cardiovascular risk) in the next 10 years is small. The decision to prescribe statins (one of the most common drugs that lower the level of "bad" cholesterol) is made by doctors based on the results of a lipidogram (blood test for cholesterol and its fractions) and cardiovascular risk.

Cardiovascular risk is calculated individually according to a special SCORE scale (Systematic COronary Risk Evaluation). When calculating, doctors take into account age, heredity, smoking, blood pressure, concomitant diseases, and so on. As a result, the patient finds himself in a green, yellow, orange or red risk zone. The norms of "bad" cholesterol in the blood (low–density lipoproteins or LDL) are different for each of them: for those who are in the green risk zone (practically a healthy person), the norm is 3.0 mmol/ l, in yellow (moderate risk of heart attack and stroke) - 2.6 mmol/ l, in orange (high risk) – 1.8 mmol/ l, in the red (very high risk) "bad" cholesterol should be no more than 1.4 mmol /l.

In the "green" or "yellow" zone, with not much elevated cholesterol, you can try to do without medications. But the diet, like pills, has its own percentage of effectiveness. The indicator for "bad" cholesterol "5.0 mmol/ l" and more is a serious sign. With such results, the patient automatically falls into the "red" zone – here only the replacement of products in the menu (restriction of saturated fats, refusal of sweets, red meat) will not solve the problem. With food, a person receives only a small fraction of cholesterol – most of it is produced in the body.

Myth 5. Taking statins increases the risk of cancer, dementia, diabetes

– Partly a myth. It has been proven that taking statins increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus, but not by much - one newly identified case of DM per 255 patients treated with statins for 4 years. But despite this, doctors recommend "anti-cholesterol" therapy even for those who already have diabetes. This disease itself is included in the list of risk factors for heart attack and stroke, and together with high cholesterol can lead to vascular catastrophe much faster.

The increased risks of dementia and cancer when taking statins have not been confirmed in any of the recent major studies.

Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru