AboutDavid Richardson Expertise Adult heart function and disease. Not very good about children lesss than 12. Hypertension is o.k. Heart rhythm a special interest.
Experience Certified in cardiology by the American Board of Internal Medicine. Was chairman of division of cardiology at the Medical College of Virginia. Am now mostly retired.
Organizations Fellow of American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology and member of American Physiological Society..
Publications Circulation, American Heart Journal, Hypertension.
Education/Credentials M.D. from Harvard Medical School. Residency training at Yale Uhniversity School of Medicine and Medical College of Virginia.
Awards and Honors Gold Heartt Award from American Heart Association in 1995.
Question Hello thanks in advance for taking time out to offer your services. I'm a 23 yr old male, 6ft, and 205lbs, very inactive person and don't eat the greatest. I also drink beer on a daily basis, avg. 12 per day and somedays maybe alot more, which is not good at all. I know that I need to cut that out. I've been having left side chest pain on and off for a yr now, I've had echo's, holter monitor, and event monitor, all normal besides premature beats, PVC's and PAC's, and also vtach. I sleep way to much, avg. 10-11 hrs a night, I sometimes wake up with left side chest pain. I had my cholesterol checked and it came back Total-245, Triglycyrides-253, HDL-39, and LDL-156. How bad is this and is that enough to cause my chest pain and am I at risk for a heart attack?? If I'm more active could I get this lowered? and does the beer I drink affect cholesterol levels? Thanks so much. could i have significant blockage at my age with those cholesterol numbers? and if i do are the pvc's dangerous as like "SCD"????
Answer Dear Michael,
The most likely cause of pain like yours is cramping of the muscles in the chest wall. If you can modify the pain, make it better or worse, by pressing on the area that hurts, then you have proven that the pain is coming from your chest wall. Chest wall pain is a nuisance but no threat to life or health.
Your high total, LDL, triglycerides and low HDL put you at above-normal risk for heart attack at age 40. Increased activity, a good diet and much less beer will help all. Beer especially raises triglycerides and lowers HDL. You need to eat a proper diet too. Significant blockage is very unlikely at your age. PVCs are not dangerous in someone with normal EKG and echo.
Please write back if this note doesn't answer all your questions.
