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 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.
David Richardson
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QUESTION: I asked the same question to on of the other experts and their response was this
"How bad is this and is that enough to cause my chest pain and am I at risk for a heart attack?? Yes
If I'm more active could I get this lowered? Yes
and does the beer I drink affect cholesterol levels? Yes
Thanks so much. could i have significant blockage at my age with those cholesterol numbers? Yes
and if i do are the pvc's dangerous as like "SCD"???? Yes
why are the triglycyrides so high, what could that indicate???
You are consuming too many carbs with the alcohol and snacks
You are magnesium oxide deficient and need a permanent alcohol taper to zero and no snacks for life
Do you agree with that or no?? I went to the cardio today he was actually the Nurse Practioner, and he talked to me for like 30 mins about everthing and said that he wouldn't even bat an eye at those cholesterol numbers at my age and not to worry about it and he really don't feel like this is my heart, I tried to request and non-invasive way of testing for blockages but he said not needed, when my regular cardio comes back from vacation im going to mention that to her to see if we can get some kind of non-invasive testing for blockages. I've noticed that I get short of breath with minor activies now, which i am WAY out of shape, just by carrying a shelf 50ft I checked my pulse bc it was beating fast and it was 160bpm. I have alot of left side chest pain that is intermittent and recurring. Also at times just have funny feeling in left side of chest, right over my heart" is that where heart pain is felt. I can't reproduce the pain by pressing on it, also have recurrent left arm pain with it, and rapid heartbeat, and also PVC's. And I checked today it wasnt v-tach that I had it was PSVT. Is that bad? What does all this sound like, is there chance for V-Fibb????? thanks so much
Answer Dear Michael,
Triglycerides are high because of beer and eating.
Yes, I agree with most of above, but not that your PVCs are dangerous. You are incereased risk of SCD at age 45 or so, but significant blockage at your age is unlikely, though possible. Ask your cardiologist for a treadmill test monitored by radioisotopes or echo if you want to be sure. Explain that you are very worried and tell her about your chest and arm pain. PSVT is not bad, tho it can be a nuisance if it occurs often.
