[ RadSafe ] Acute heart attack patients receiving high ionizingradiation dose

[Syd H. Levine]

As you know, I am a great admirer of Dr. Long.  I did not mean to suggest "run like hell" due to radiation exposure, but rather because of the angiogram procedure itself.  It is a profoundly inaccurate and subjective test, subject to varied interpretation.  If, like me. you do not desire stents or a bypass, having the angiogram is a waste of time anyway (and a significant risk to your health).

An interesting study on the interpretation of angiograms involved sending the same film to a number of different cardiologists.  The opinions varied widely on what the degree of blockage was, and what should be done about it.  Another study involved angiograms on the same individual with slight changes in position of the patient.  The same patient on the same day looked at by the same doctor yielded a diagnosis of profound blockage, and perfect health.  I could go on for pages on this supposed "gold standard" test, but as a last word, I would point out that the 80 and 90% blockages do not cause heart attacks typically; it is the lesser blockages that are often missed on an angiogram.

Finally, I agree on the Beta Blocker.  While the Type A personality thing has been largely debunked, they are absolutely wonderful drugs.  There is even a black market for Beta Blockers among musicians who like em because they are helpful with stage fright.  Many surgeons and trial attorneys use them also (Nixon could have avoided that sweaty upper lip had he been on a Beta Blocker).  They toyed with putting everybody over 50 on them in the UK.

Syd H. Levine
AnaLog Services, Inc.
Phone:  (270) 276-5671
Telefax:  (270) 276-5588
E-mail:  analog at logwell.com
Web URL:  www.logwell.com

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: HOWARD.LONG at comcast.net 
  To: Syd H. Levine 
  Cc: ROY HERREN ; radsafe at radlab.nl 
  Sent: Thursday, November 19, 2009 3:29 PM
  Subject: Re: [ RadSafe ] Acute heart attack patients receiving high ionizingradiation dose




  I generally support Syd's preference for medical prevention and treatment of heart problems

  before resorting to invasive procedures. But I warn against "running like hell" 

  if an interventionalist cardiologist advises catheterization. Radiation is not the important risk then.

  It is often done without first doing adequate adrenalin blockage (in all cases), 

  exercise (depending on symptoms) and diet (individually tailored). 

  But if enzymes are up, don't wait!
  -

   50 years ago, my special interest in preventive cardiology had me hosting Francisco Grande 

  (of Ancel Keyes lab) at the Am Academy of Family Practice meeting in SF in 1960, where 

  I took him to lunch with Laurence Kinsell, also a pioneer in cholesterol and unsaturated fats and 

  with the UCBPH head of Epidemiology, Stoney Stallones. Since then, I have done thousands of 

  exercise cardiographs (cheap 2 step) and cholesterols and hopefully saved many myocardial infarcts 

  (dead spots in the heart) and deaths. Meyer Friedman (author of Type A Behavior and Your Heart) 

  had heart clinics in my office for several years.



  If you feel frequent anger or fear (fight or flight, the stress reaction) take metoprolol (or carvedilol if diabetes)! These or other beta blocker are always  prescribed after an infarct.  Why wait? They also reduce coronary artery cholesterol deposits vs placebo. 



  Howard Long MD MPH