Tuesday February 19th / 2008

12:10: The Health Roundup with Jay McQueen.

12:12: We are being reminded once again of the importance of getting the proper vaccinations before taking off to the sunny Tropics.
Guest: Dr. Jay Keystone, travel medicine specialist in at the Medisys Travel Health Clinic at Toronto General Hospital.

12:20: If you’re looking to jack it up a notch or 2, All Canadian Fitness is your place.
Guest: Ernie Schramayr over at All Canadian Fitness. 905.548.6732

12:35: Let’s talk Omega-3 fatty acids. We’ve heard they’re good for the heart but where is the best place to get them? How much should we be getting from sources where they’re found naturally and how much should we be getting from supplements?
Guest: Jennifer Sygo, Registered Dietician at Cleveland Clinic Canada (clevelandcliniccanada.com)

12:45: Rexall Radio Health Matters segment.
Guest: Irene.

High Cholesterol, Deciding on Treatments!

If you have high cholesterol what does your doctor consider when selecting a treatment regimen? To reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke your doctor will recommend a treatment plan that will help you get your cholesterol levels back to a healthy level. The first step is to determine your risk of heart disease over the next 10 years. Your doctor can use a formula developed from a major heart disease study called the Framingham Study to calculate your risk of heart disease. To do this the doctor will need to know your age, cholesterol levels, blood pressure and whether you smoke. If your risk of heart disease in the next 10 years is low, (less than 10%) to moderate,(10-20%) your doctor will probably recommend that you try non-drug methods first. Non-drug methods include, lifestyle choices;
• Eating healthy
• Quitting smoking
• Moderating your alcohol intake
• Maintain an ideal body weight
• Increasing physical activity
If these methods don’t get your cholesterol down to a healthy level in 3 to 6 months, the doctor will consider adding a cholesterol-lowing medication. If your risk of heart disease in the next 10 years is high (20% or more) your doctor will probably recommend starting a cholesterol lowing medication right away, in combination with non-drug methods to lower cholesterol. There are many types of cholesterol-lower medications and they are all slightly different in terms of their effects on cholesterol. Talk to your doctor to discuss side effects and if this is the right medication for you.
Medications: Statins:
The “statin” group of medications includes atorvastatin ( Lipitor), fluvastatin (Lescol), lovastatin (Mevacor and others), pravastatin (Pravachol and others), rosuvastatin (Crestor), and simvastatin (Zocor and others). They work by blocking cholesterol production in the liver. Statins have shown to decrease the risk of heart disease and death in people with high cholesterol.

Cholesterol absorption inhibitors:
There is currently one cholesterol absorption inhibitor available in Canada, ezetimibe (Ezetrol). It works by blocking cholesterol from being absorbed by the digestive system. It reduces absorption by about 54%. It can decrease LDL by about 18% and increase HDL by 3.5% when used alone. It can be used with other combination of medications.
Resins:
This group of medications includes colestipol (Colestid) and cholestyramine (Questran and others). These medications work by decreasing the absorption of cholesterol and increasing the breakdown of LDL.
Fibrates:
This group of medications works by blocking cholesterol production and increasing cholesterol breakdown, there are three fibrates available in Canada. Bezafibrate(Bezalip),fenofibrate (Lipidil Supra), and gemfibrozil (Lopod and others). These medications were among the first medications discovered to lower cholesterol.
Niacin:
Niacin, or vitamin B3 works by decreasing the production of LDL and TG and blocking the breakdown of HDL.


Nadine Janacek
Blog Reporter Rexall #202