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Posted on 07/14/2026 1:20:09 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Cardiologist says warning signs can develop years before symptoms appear
Heart disease remains the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States, but doctors say many cases can be prevented through early screening and lifestyle changes. New cholesterol guidelines are calling for screenings to begin earlier and for high-risk patients to reach lower LDL targets.
Dr. Ajay Mhatre, a cardiologist at Cardiovascular Institute of Northwest Florida, said the risks often build silently over time.
“Coronary disease or cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death for men and women in America,” Mhatre said.
Smoking, diabetes, inactivity, poor diet and family history are among the factors that raise a person’s risk for cardiovascular disease. Mhatre said regular medical checkups are a key part of prevention.
“Go see your physician, go get regular checkups, know what your cholesterol is, what your blood sugar is, what your blood pressure is, because you can modify those risk factors or prevent a cardiovascular event later on down the line,” Mhatre said.
One of the most significant changes in the updated guidelines involves LDL, or low-density lipoprotein, commonly referred to as “bad” cholesterol. Experts now recommend screenings begin around age 30, particularly for people with a family history of heart disease. For high-risk patients, the new target LDL level is below 55.
“The longer you’re exposed to high levels of LDL, which lead to things like heart attack and stroke, the more important it is to push those levels lower,” Mhatre said.
For patients whose LDL levels do not respond to lifestyle changes alone, doctors say there are more treatment options available than before, including statins, non-statin medications and newer injectable drugs.
“Prevention now will prevent problems later,” Mhatre said.
Doctors say people in their 30s and 40s who feel healthy should still know their cholesterol numbers, as early awareness can help prevent serious heart problems in the future.
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Ping
Big pharma ad.
Totally
Below 55? Great if you’re a new-born. Good luck to the rest of us.
Soon they’ll have a “preventative” for cholesterol.
My guess is people aren’t buying into the propaganda except for boomers that think doctors are gods.
Men accumulate iron sooner than women. The body stores excess iron in the heart, liver, and pancreas, and harms these organs.
One strategy to prevent excess iron is to donate or remove blood to keep blood ferritin between 70 and 100 ng/ml.
Being safer is hard to argue with unless you apply some reasonableness test.
Why change clinical norns? Often because of research paid for by someone getting ready to sell something.
Excuse my cynicism please, it has come from old age and experience.
I have terrible LDL and exactly 0% calcification, blockages, or anything else.
117/73 BP, pulse in the high 50s. I do exercise a lot.
Had all sorts of studies even a heart MRI due to a weird electrical issue. Everything is fine except I short circuit for no known reason.
Not sure they have the science right on cholesterol.
“New Cholesterol Guidelines Urge Earlier Screenings, Lower LDL Targets”. Have it checked, it’s on target, chew up a couple of 81mg baby aspirin every morning, sure bleed if I nick myself.
Doctors at aholes
I just had a stent in my heart for a 90% blockage. I’m about to have some more tests for plaque in my carotid artery. I’m only in my early 40s. My LDL was a little high (123) last year, but nothing crazy. I had no symptoms.
Now with crestor it’s been 48 and 57 in my last 2 tests.
My mom survived a widowmaker heart attack. Her dad died of one at 39. As my cardiologist said, can’t fix family history.
Get a calcium scan of your heart to look for plaque. It’s cheap quick and painless (and not usually covered by insurance, so it’s <$200).
Brought to you by Pfizer.
boomers think doctors are gods
- - - - - - -
Young people have excess trust in the worst of so called doctors, psychiatrists. They are doing therapy and taking dangerous psychiatric drugs.
There are lots of people besides boomers who think that doctors are gods.
Take plenty of D3 but ALSO take K2.
K2 pushes Valium into your teeth and bones, and, away from your arteries.
Most docs won’t tell pts this … for some reason. 🤔
Not Valium … apple spell check is funny … CALCIUM!!
Hideous advice!
Cholesterol..one of the biggest medical scams in history. There’s no known correlation between high cholesterol and heart and stroke issues and statins are a big pharma ripoff causing liver issues, muscle issues and potential type 2 diabetes.
From what I’ve been reading and hearing about is that your liver determines the cholesterol numbers. Now everyone has a “fatty liver” and/or “high liver enzymes” and you have to go in to have your liver $canned. I was having my records updated and told the doctor I had a fatty liver. He almost laughed, and said lots of people had a fatty liver. I’ve been taking milk thistle supplements just in case, and feel fine and dandy.
What happened to the FReeper who kept us up-to-date with daily medical news? I always looked forward to that.
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