Heart Attack Risk: Five Tests Your Doctor Should Do

If you want to learn your chances of suffering aunder the age of 40 and women under the age of
heart attack, ask your doctor to draw blood for60.)If your C reactive protein is high, you may need
C-Reactive Protein (CRP), the good HDL and the badto take Zithromax, Dynabec, or Biaxin for 9 days.If
LDL cholesterol, small low-density lipoprotein, Lp(a),your good HDL is low or your triglycerides are high,
homocysteine. He will also check your bloodyou need to restrict calories and any foods that
pressure.We used to think that heart attacks werecause a high rise in blood sugar, such as bakery
caused primarily by plaques accumulating in arteriesproducts, pastas and sugar-added foods; and eat
because of high cholesterol levels. Now we knowroot vegetables and fruits only with other foods, not
that the inner lining of an artery must first bealone as snacks. You may also need to take
roughed up before plaques form, and infections aremedications.If your bad LDL cholesterol is high, you
the most common cause of damaged inner linings ofneed to restrict saturated fats, partially
arteries. C-Reactive Protein is a blood test thathydrogenated fats and calories, and you may need
measures inflammation or the swelling that occurs into take medication.If your Lp(a) is greater than 40,
arteries before plaques form. So C-reactive protein isyou need to take the vitamin niacin after every meal
one of the best indicators that a person is headedin continually raising doses until your Lp(a) is below 40.
for a heart attack.Blood cholesterol levels are stillDiet will not lower Lp(a).If your homocysteine is high,
good predictors of heart attacks. Your bad LDLyou need to avoid meat and poultry, and eat plenty
cholesterol should be under 100. If you have had aof whole grains, leafy green vegetables. You can
heart attack, your LDL should be under 70. Havingmeet your needs for vitamin B12 with seafood and
high blood levels of a subfraction of the bad LDLskim milk dairy products, or with B 12 pills. If
cholesterol called small LDL increases your risk for ahomocysteine remains above 100, you should take
heart attack.Another test called homocysteine alsofolic acid, pyridoxine and B12 (readily available in
predicts heart attacks. When your diet does notcombination pills such as Foltex or Fol-B.)A
provide you with adequate amounts of the vitaminsheart-healthy diet and lifestyle makes it possible for
B12, pyridoxine and folic acid, blood levels ofmost people to control cholesterol and blood pressure
homocysteine rise, damaging the walls of the arterieswithout drugs.Dr. Gabe Mirkin has been a radio talk
and causing plaques to form.Lp(a) is a geneticshow host for 25 years and practicing physician for
disorder that causes clots to form and so is a causemore than 40 years; he is board certified in four
of heart attacks, particularly in younger people (menspecialties, including sports medicine.