RE: Education of Medical Field
Last Thursday I suffered what thought could be a stroke or heart attack. ( Last year, while hospitalized they determined I was suffering from irregular heart beat, ie: trigeminy or bigeminy, which was attributed to my thyroid levels). The last couple weeks I suffered from low heart rate of 40 and below several times an hour. While in the ambulance, the emt stated I was not having a heart attack, but a very irregular beat. At the hospital they took all the standard tests for an attack and/or stroke. All can back with no problems.
YET, the hospitalist, prescribed Simvastin 20mg, and a health summary of possible stroke (yet MRI came back clean) So!!!! look at my lipid panel:
Cholesterol, Total 178 mg/dL 0 - 199 mg/dL
Triglycerides 39 mg/dL 0 - 150 mg/dL
HDL 70 mg/dL 40 - 60 mg/dL
LDL Calculated 100 mg/dL <100 mg/dL
VLDL Cholesterol Calculated 8 mg/dL Not Established mg/dL.
Monday, I followed up with my physician and questioned the Simvastin dosage. And by doing the math, she agreed. I was at 6.77 chance of heart attack with the threshold of prescribing a statin is like 7.8.
In summary, no way should I been given that dosage. AND, when I asked my doctor if she could prescribe Vascepa as a preventative measure. She replied my trigs did not qualify me and that Vascepa has not been proven to reduce heart attacks. So, she unwantedly got a mouthful on Vascepa that day.
She stated she would check Vascepa out but that Repatha has been proven. LOL, Repatha was posted all over her waiting room and office. And then I suggested she compare the two, especially with regard to costs and safety.
Vascepa reps need to educated Cincinnati.
Laura
