#39

Right now it looks like LP PLA2 and Apo(b) are the dynamic duo in predicting and gauging progressing reducing the risk of ASCVD. LP PLA2 seems to have the edge in stroke prediction while Apo(b) might be better for cardio. I now manage this area of health exclusively by these two tests and pretty much ignore the lipo panels that come with an annual screening panel I run (Life Extension Elite Male).

#40

Thanks. If your cardiologist and internist gave you the go-ahead, I’m sure they had a good rationale. I have contemplated taking it but have been able to get my inflammation levels very low by other means. This 2023 review on colchicine covers the full range of issues on it.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9754312/

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#41

Thanks for all that, Rob!

Have you had a concerning CAC or other known source of CVD risk? Or just inflammation that you have been able to reduce (great job!.. and curious what you did?)

Yeah, I have known risk (family history and HIGH CAC score at a young age), which is why they both felt this drug would be well suited for me. I don’t take it on the day I take my weekly rapamycin (based on something I read here), but other than that, I’m just banking on the risk of this drug being much lower than my risk of CVD.

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#42

From Life Extension. For a few more days they have the test on sale for $94. Apparently, it is difficult to run.

"The PLAC® Test for Lp-PLA2 Activity measures the function of Lp-PLA2 in the artery wall— a vascular-specific inflammatory marker critical in the formation of rupture-prone plaque.4 Lp- PLA2 activity is a novel risk predictor in people with no prior history of cardiovascular events with a prognostic value independent of standard lipid profile testing.

The greater the Lp-PLA2 Activity, the greater the risk of fatal and non-fatal CHD events.5 PLAC Activity above 225 nmol/min/mL identifies people at increased risk of CHD events.6 An absolute risk of CHD events is 2.1 times greater with a PLAC test result over 225 and is associated with high risk for a first time myocardial infarction, cardiac revascularization and cardiac death!"

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#43

I don’t know my exact CAC but I ignored what turned out to be pneumonia for a month in 2018 and ended up with a CT scan. The radiologist noted significant CAC but did not score it.

I’m taking the usual stuff for inflammation and it is working well: curcumin, ginger, EVOO, astaxanthin, Omega-3, D3, vitamin-C, green tea extract, etc,. My last CRP was 0.29, and my IL-6, Ferritin, and others were at or near the bottoms of the scales. Also, my oxidized LDL-C is low. All this helps, I think when your history involved high LDL-C, Apo(b), etc. years ago.

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#44

Here is an interesting survey article on many known methods to reverse Atherosclerosis : How To Reverse Atherosclerosis (Heart Disease and More): Joel Kahn, MD: Integrative Cardiologist

In addition to the Ornish diet, Statins, Natto and Fibrinogens (like Serrapeptase and Lumbrokinase) the article discusses citrus bergamot extract, a supplement mentioned in other threads for lowering LDL (for example : Rapamycin and risk of cardiovascular disease - #2 by Davin8r) : According to one study (Bergamot Reduces Plasma Lipids, Atherogenic Small Dense LDL, and Subclinical Atherosclerosis in Subjects with Moderate Hypercholesterolemia: A 6 Months Prospective Study - PubMed) bergamot not only lowered LDL but also reduced CIMT imaged plaque from 1.2mm to 0.9mm over 6 months, which is more than would be expected based on the LDL reduction alone (LDL did not reduce below the level of 70 mg/dL at which plaque regression normally begins). The bergamot extract from Italy (Bergavit) used in the study (at 500mg per day containing 150mg of flavanoids) is now sold by Swanson (https://www.swansonvitamins.com/p/swanson-superior-herbs-bergamot-extract-bergavit-500-mg-30-veg-caps) and a very similar extract from the same region of Italy is available from Double Wood (Double Wood Bergamot on Amazon.com).

Another supplement recommended is tocotrienols (a form of Vitamin E) : In one tiny study (Antioxidant effects of tocotrienols in patients with hyperlipidemia and carotid stenosis - PubMed) a supplement of Gamma Tocotrienols with Alpha tocopherol reduced plaque in 7 of 25 test subjects and increasing in 2 subjects (while plaque increased in 10 of 25 control subjects with none reduced).

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#45

RS was the only one I hadn’t heard of (thanks to this site):

https://sci-hub.wf/10.3390/md18040228

Not well absorbed into the bloodstream because of it’s size, but looks good anyway.

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#46

No it is not true. See the discussion starting from here.

#47

My cardiologist prescribed colchicine for me as well (after I suggested it).

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#48

Just got my CAC back for the year and pretty much broke even for the year. Not bad. I’ll take it even though LAD increased:

Phred CAC 2024

The bottom row is this year, total is 415, up 12 from last year. LAD went up 20. I’ll stick with my program and hope cyclarity passes and becomes available in the next couple years.

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#49

Hey Bicep, I’m sincerely just curious… is there a reason you get a CAC each year or is it just out of curiosity?

I ask because after my second one, my cardiologist practically bit my head off (in a loving way). He said you know all you need to know, so stop exposing yourself to X-rays. There is a chance there is something I don’t know.

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#50

I am curious, what is your LDLc, and APOb with your current program?

#51

Last time I did a complete with apoB was 3 months ago and numbers were:
Homocysteine 7
HDL 89
Triglycerides 75
LDL 115
Apo B 90

My last one was abbreviated, just lipids and CBC and the LDL was 150, so a little higher. That was a week or so ago. My other numbers were pretty healthy.

Uric acid was 3.1 which was low. What did you decide to do about your low Uric acid? Weren’t you the one talking about using Bempedoic acid to raise Uric acid? I’m kicking it around. I have a supply here of BA I bought and haven’t tried yet.

I take empag off and on and have decided to go back on for a while. I don’t like to get up in the night, that’s the only reason I don’t do it all the time.

My general attitude about drugs is that I’m not really bright enough to do it right, but my body does really well on it’s own. Probably smarter than my brain. Probably should leave it alone entirely. Yet I really enjoy the theories and practice of longevity. These seem like pivotal times for AI and Longevity. And with all the studies, if not biased, some of these drugs do look like they’re better than nothing.

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#52

Yeah, my doc feels the same way about it. It really does not mean hardly anything except that I’m doing something wrong and it doesn’t tell me what.

I was going to do the Cleerly thing, but it looked dangerous and is expensive. I can spend that amount of money on something that will help my health, not just tell me what’s going on. So I decided to just keep tracking the calcium. I’ve heard rumblings that there is something better near here and I don’t know what, but it came from my doc through somebody else. He told them to not get a CAC and wait a few months and go there. When I find out what’s actually going on I’ll let you know if it’s useful.

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#53

Thanks, I’d love to hear about it when you learn more

I’m no expert, but as someone with crappy heart genes, I can tell you that it doesn’t necessarily show you are doing something wrong.

My husband was going to do the Cleerly last week, but it’s a 2 hour drive, and the day before they said we may keep you waiting for hours once you arrive… WTAF … so that is not happening any time soon.

My theory, that I learned from my cardiologist, is if it’s not going to change what you are doing, then there is not much reason to do the tests. With your CAC score, you know what you need to do, so I think you have the right mindset to spend the effort and money on helping your health instead of seeing more evidence.

One person here with a high CAC score did do the Cleerly and the results were better than expected, so that did give him peace of mind. I’m worried about the other scenario and worrying to death, especially when there is nothing they are going to do differently based on the results.

Incase this is helpful, my CAC is higher than yours and my goal is to get my APOB to 30. I am WFPB and take repatha, colchicine, ezetimibe, and recently added bempedoic acid and have it down to 43. I’m sure it would be worse without my good diet, but my issues are my genetics so I think most of the heavy lifting here is from the drugs. I just feel better knowing I’m not making it worse.

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#54

If your CAC included the volume score then you could do the quick calculations and find out whether you’re going to die or not:

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#56

He’s tried it - see this thread: Cyclodextrins, Cavadex and Cyclarity for Reversing Atherosclerosis

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#57

It may not be crappy heart genes for you either. My doc told me that too. Then I found out I have high lead levels with a chelation challenge. The challenge is $80 but you have to have the chelation to make it work and that takes some money and it’s even illegal in my state. I had to drive to a neighboring state. Heavy metals cause heart disease, or make it much worse. My view is that reducing apob will help, but if the underlying condition of heavy metals remains, then the problem will not be gone.

I still take DMSA, which I get off ebay from a company in England. I take a gram every 2 weeks and supplement copper and zinc daily. I also use pectasol with alginate daily, sometimes twice a day. It’s a pain because you need an empty stomach.

It takes years to get rid of heavy metals, but you can lower them quickly. High levels in your urine mean large amounts leaving. Over time the numbers for the challenge go down. Less metal leaving your body. So you can get pretty good results quickly if it’s a big problem. Search for chelation, I did a couple posts with studies.

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#58

This is all waaaay over my head. I don’t really understand what you are doing and will need to spend a little time reading. Thank you for sharing and I may come back with some follow ups

I will say it definitely runs in my family, but could metals be a part of this for me, maybe?

My siblings have high CAC scores, although at much older ages, theirs are lower than mine was a decade ago. My mother’s father and my father had heart attacks before the age of 50, so there is at least a strong genetic component.

Oh, also, while I appreciate you sharing it’s possible, I don’t really want to do the calculations to see if I’m more likely to die :). I need to keep my anxiety about this in check. I have a pretty good attitude about it all and can laugh at it, so I need to keep it that way unless there is something I can do about it.

Off to search for chelation….

#59

If anything shouldn’t you do everything you can to lower your risk of stroke or heart attack then?

Clinical trials show what lower those