Q: I have had three plugged arteries and a quintuple bypass. Do I still have to take cholesterol lowering medication? What happens if the cholesterol level gets too low?
A: I expect the reason your arteries became plugged was due to high cholesterol and trigyceride levels. The “new” blood vessels will also become clogged if you do not keep cholesterol levels down with medication, exercise and diet. Your doctor would not have prescribed it if he did not believe it was necessary, and yes, you may need to take it for the rest of your life.
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There has been some research and articles written on the dangers of too low a cholesterol level. One theory is that there is an increased risk of aggression and depression. This may be because cholesterol can affect the metabolism of serotonin, a neurochemical transmitter of nerve impulses. It may also relate to the production of certain hormones.
Other studies have linked low cholesterol levels to colon cancer and an increased risk of strokes. These situations were not necessarily associated with taking cholesterol lowering medications, but may have occurred through dieting or simply an inherited tendency to low cholesterol in the blood.
In general it is much healthier to have a low cholesterol level than a high one. In your case, where you had previous problems with high cholesterol, there is no danger of it becoming too low.
Personal replies
Q: I have a few questions and I would be grateful if you could reply to them in the enclosed envelope. Please do not print the letter in the Western Producer.
A: I am unable to answer individual letters by mail because of the time factor and medical and legal implications because you are not my patients. When I write an answer in this column, I never name or incude identifying information where the writer lives. In my replies I will not give specific treatments such as dosages of medications because this has to be done by your own doctor. I will point out potential dangers or side effects, and occasionally, if I feel you are in imminent danger, I will be more specific.
Clare Rowson is a medical doctor with a practice near Belleville, Ont. Her columns are intended for general information only. Individuals are encouraged to also seek the advice of their own doctor regarding medical questions and treatments.
