Ask An Expert: Heart Disease

I am a 52-year-old man with a family history of heart disease. My doctor says my blood pressure and cholesterol are great. My latest LDL cholesterol was 98 and my HDL was 45. I exercise regularly and I try hard to stick to a Mediterranean type diet. Is there anything else I should do?

I saw a program on the news about calcium buildup in the heart. I take 1,000 mg of calcium every morning and have about 3 glasses of milk daily plus the milk on my large dish of cereal. Is this too much calcium? Is there any danger from taking in more calcium than you need? Can it cause calcium buildup in my heart?

I am a fit 49-year-old woman in good health with good cholesterol levels. I had an echo cardio stress test due to chest pain, and the cardiologist discovered that I have left bundle branch block. He did not seem too concerned about this, but after I researched this on the internet, I am. Should I worry? Are there any preventative measures I can take? How will this affect me as I age?

Can Diovan cause an increase in creatinine levels?

I have been taking a supplement, CoQ10 (100 mg) for a heart condition. Recently, I read that this may affect cholesterol levels. What can you tell me about CoQ10?

What medications, prescription and over-the-counter, especially vitamin B2, interact with Crestor (rosuvastatin)?

What actions, if any, should the general public take based on the recent findings for the drug Vytorin?

Once you start taking Lipitor, do you have to stay on it for the rest of your life?

I am on Tricor to try to raise my HDL and lower my triglycerides. I have read that prolonged use of Tricor can cause gallstones. What is the probability that this will happen? Is there a blood test that can be used to predict if stones will form?

I have been on statins for over 12 years and have neuropathy in my feet. I saw a neurologist who ruled out other causes of neuropathy and said it is from long-term use of statins. Is this a side effect of using statins for a long period of time?