Have doc re-examine your heart health

Unfortunately, the pooled cohort equations (PCES) used by doctors to form risk estimations for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD) are not forward-thinking or inclusive. The current 2013 guidelines that help your doc to decide if you need a statin or blood pressure meds or to take daily aspirin use data on people from the 1940s and are woefully non-inclusive of people of color.

A new study led by Stanford University researchers says that by updating the data used to form the PCES, approximately 11.8 million U.S. adults previously labeled “high risk” would be identified as a lower risk. That will save patients worry, money and unnecessary exposure to risks associated with aspirin and meds to lower blood pressure and cholesterol.

However, “while many Americans were being recommended aggressive treatments that they may not have needed … some Americans — particularly African-americans — may have been given false reassurance and probably need to start treatment, given our findings,” says Stanford’s Dr. Sanjay Basu.

Four foods to lower cholesterol

On an episode of “The Office,” Dwight Schrute switches to a new company health insurance plan, which doesn’t cover anything. When asked why, he says: “Never been sick. Superior brain power. Through sheer concentration, I can raise and lower my cholesterol.”

“Why would you want to raise your cholesterol?” an officemate asks.

“So I can lower it.”

High LDL cholesterol is not, in fact, a laughing matter. It ups the risk of heart disease, stroke and peripheral artery disease. So be conscientious, and rely on diet — even when taking statins — to help keep your lousy LDL cholesterol under 70 milligrams per deciliter and your good HDL above 50 milligrams per deciliter. The best bites? A diet rich in plant protein, viscous fiber, plant sterols and nuts, say researchers in the latest metastudy, published in Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases.

Plant protein comes from whole grains, soy, legumes and a variety of veggies. Viscous fiber is found in oats, barley, psyllium, eggplant and berries.

In this study, plant sterols came mostly from enriched margarine — you also can get them from broccoli, Brussels sprouts, avocados, tomatoes and vegetable oils. Nuts, especially walnuts, deliver heart-lovin’ omega-3s, and almonds deliver monounsaturated fats.

Email questions for Mehmet Oz and Mike Roizen to youdocsdaily@sharecare. com.