Cardiologist Check Up

It is two years after open heart surgery and my yearly cardiologist check up!

Here is the good news!

1 - Still breathing!  I feel pretty good & I am able to do almost anything I want to do - golf, walk & exercise, travel, etc.

2 - Blood Pressure today 115/75 - great!  Happy with that!

3 - Total Cholesterol - Total 175  Not Bad, remember my high 10 years ago - 300!!

4 - Almost all other levels are great!

Bad news?

1 - Total Cholesterol is 175 which is OK, but HDL is 31, needs to be above 40 & LDL is 100, Doctor wants it 75 or below!

2 - Liver results not good - AST (SGOT) at 67, should be between (13-40) & ALT (SGPT) is at
122, should be between (7-52).  So, diet change!

3 - Still getting PVC's -seem to still be exercise induced as the heart rate gets to 110-120.
Game Plan?

Go back in two months!

Eat better - veggies & fruits!!!
Lose weight - At 195, try to get to 180!

Will have another Stress Test in March & wear a Holter Monitor to check PVC's!

Let the FUN begin!!!

25 Months After Open Heart By-pass Surgery!!!

Here we are, a little more than two years after open heart by-pass surgery!  This is doctor week - Tuesday meeting with cardiologist & Thursday a physical with my family doctor!  Got my blood tests and I have a few "flags"!  This week I will focus on the areas I need to improve!

First RED FLAG - Triglycerides!  The normal reading is 60 - 150 and mine was 221.

To review Triglycerides I went to:

Triglycerides and How to Lower Them

What I need to do?

• Moderate exercise on five or more days each week can help lower triglyceride levels.
• Losing 5%-10% of your weight can lower triglycerides. People with a healthy weight are more likely to have normal triglyceride levels. Belly fat is associated with higher levels.
• Reducing saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol in your diet can improve triglyceride levels and help manage cholesterol. Eating less carbohydrates in your diet will also help lower triglyceride levels.
• Drinking alcohol can raise triglyceride levels. Some studies show that drinking more than one drink a day for women or two for men can raise triglyceride levels by a lot. Some people with high triglycerides may need to cut out alcohol entirely.
• Eating more fish high in omega-3s can lower triglyceride levels. Fish like mackerel, lake trout, herring, sardines, albacore tuna, and salmon are high in omega-3s. It may be hard to get enough omega-3s from food to help lower your triglycerides. Your doctor may recommend a supplement or prescription omega-3s.