Ask the doctor: Can a blocked artery cause jaw pain?
Lately when I climb the stairs or get really stressed, my jaw starts hurting. Is that just an oddity or something I should worry about?
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Ask the doctor: What is diastolic dysfunction?
My last echocardiogram showed mild diastolic dysfunction. What does that mean?
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On call: Periodontitis and your heart
I am a 56-year-old man with high blood pressure. My dentist found gum disease and referred me to a periodontist for treatment. I know that high blood pressure increases my risk of heart disease, and I’ve been told that gum disease does too. Is it true?
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Ask the doctor: What are the alternatives to a statin for lowering cholesterol?
I have tried all of the statin drugs to lower my cholesterol, but each one has caused severe muscle pain. Are there any non-statin medications I could try using to lower my cholesterol?
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By the way, doctor: Do inversion tables work?
What do you think about using inversion tables to relieve back pain?
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Ask the doctor: Is my LDL too low?
I am a 59-year-old man. The results of my latest blood test showed that my LDL cholesterol was 67, which was flagged as low. (I do not take any cholesterol-lowering drugs.) Should I be worried, or do anything to raise my LDL?
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Ask the doctor: Is the term “coronary heart disease” redundant?
I always thought that coronary and heart meant pretty much the same thing. If that’s so, isn’t “coronary heart disease” redundant?
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By the way, doctor: Why don’t statins damage the heart muscle?
I’ve heard that statin drugs can cause muscle damage. Since the heart is a muscle, why don’t statins cause heart damage?
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On call: PSA variability
I’ve been tracking my PSA ever since I turned 50, 11 years ago. Since I just moved from St. Louis to Denver, my next test will be done in a new lab. Will the change in labs affect my levels?
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Ask the doctor: Are some blood vessels more prone to blockages than others?
Are the coronary arteries more prone to developing blockages than arteries elsewhere in the body? When arteries from other parts of the body are used in bypass surgery, does their tendency to become blocked change?
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