Anyone know of any research that really proves that dental problems can contribute to heart problems?
Because with an LDL of 115, no heart disease in family but a history of dental inflammation…well, that is the only reason I am considering it.
And even then, still toying with my rheumatologist’s suggestion to only take 10 mg and cut the pills in half.
I havent tried them yet, and my endo isnt going to be happy with me.
I can't answer about heart problems, but they can certainly contribute to diabetes problems. This was one of the first blogs I wrote after I discovered blogging: Teeth, Gums, Diabetes and Death. Possibly that provides a link between teeth and cardiac problems for diabetics.
I have never heard that statins raised BG…could you tell me what makes you think that?
My cholesterol was dangerously high – it was high even before diagnosis, but jumped to over 300 at the time I was diagnosed with diabetes – and my doctor recommended a statin for me, based on my own health history and my family history of heart attacks. (My father died at 55 and my mother at 62, both from heart attacks. My mother was diabetic, but my father wasn’t) Given my risk factors, it seemed like a good idea, and I still believe so. I’ve been taking a statin since January of 2002, and I’ve had no problems. My A1c is fine, my post prandial numbers are in range. I haven’t seen anything but improvement in both my glucose control and my cholesterol – well under 200 now, with triglicerides of 68 and LDL of 86 last time I had blood work. Had an increase in the LDL from 80 to 86 due to not getting enough exercise, but I’m working on that.
I think statins have to be a case by case thing. I wouldn’t have jumped into anything if I’d been as close as you are to being under 100 – unless you have had a heart attack – even though my doctor wants me under 80. Diet and exercise might very well work for you. For me, it really wasn’t an option. When your LDL is 157, you really don’t mess around when everyone in your family dies of heart attacks.
Thanks for sharing your experience.
Even the manufacturers acknowledge that statins can raise blood glucose – for example, on the website for Crestor (http://tinyurl.com/5utv9s3) the Important Safety Information says “Elevated blood sugar levels have been reported with statins, including CRESTOR.” High blood sugar appears (along with about a zillion other undesirable conditions) on the list of side effects for Lipitor. I read a study recently (which I can’t seem to find at the moment) that suggests some statins tend to raise BG, while others tend to lower it. So I don’t think it’s controversial that they affect blood sugar – my question is whether my heart attack risk is great enough to justify all those side effects, including BG effects. Given my family history and personal numbers, for me right now the answer is still no.
A couple of other sources I’ve bookmarked recently:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19188844
http://www.theheart.org/article/1279205.do
Also, this article cites tons of studies (scroll waaaay down) that you may find interesting, if you’re interested in that sort of thing:
http://tinyurl.com/3qv8mve
Wishing you well.