Your Arteries-An Owner's Manual

Book excerpt: How to prevent a heart attack or stroke? Start with an artery screening test. The disease known as heart disease is better understood as a disease of the arteries. A blockage in an artery serving the heart can cause a heart attack, while a blockage in an artery serving the brain can cause a stroke. Fortunately, a heart attack or stroke can be prevented. That’s because artery clogging that leads to a heart attack or stroke develops slowly over time. Anyone who detects artery clogging at an early stage can slow or stop its progression, by lowering the level of “bad” LDL cholesterol in the blood. Healthy lifestyle choices can help to lower LDL, while statin therapy may be needed to achieve the healthiest LDL level. Statin therapy can stop the progression of artery clogging and also stabilize existing artery-clogging plaque, giving the best chance of preventing a heart attack or stroke. Five heart doctors (cardiologists) have recommended that doctors check their patients for artery clogging, but so far, very few do. Fortunately, anyone can obtain a safe and simple test to detect artery-clogging at an early stage, without a doctor’s order. If you obtain this screening test and it shows you have artery clogging, you can work with your doctor to reduce your LDL level, potentially adding healthy years to your life. This book—based on 40 medical journal articles—provides all the information you need to preserve the health of your arteries, for a healthier life. WILLIAM DRISCOLL is a journalist and author who was fortunate to learn that his arteries were getting clogged, so he could take action to protect his health. He wrote this book so others could have the same opportunity. Chapters: Heart disease is a disease of the arteries How arteries get clogged even with a “normal” cholesterol level Limiting artery clogging at an early stage can protect your health Should you get tested for artery clogging? How to get tested for artery clogging If you have artery clogging: Healthy choices If you have artery clogging: Statin therapy How safe are statins? When to seek out a preventive cardiologist Appendix: Directory of preventive cardiologists in the U.S.