What should Matt Lauer do now?
Today Show host Matt Lauer underwent a heart scan on one of the
64-slice devices. The scan showed coronary plaque. What should he do now?
Today Show host Matt Lauer underwent a heart scan on a 64-slice
CT device at Cornell University Medical Center on November 28
as part of the show’s "Saving Your Life: Modern Medical
Miracles” series. Lauer admitted having some concern about his
heart’s future, since his Dad died of heart disease at age 72,
one year after bypass surgery, and his cholesterol was
“borderline” high. The affable host did indeed have some
coronary plaque in his circumflex artery, as diagnosed by Dr.
James Min, the cardiologist supervising the procedure. No
mention was made of the precise quantity of plaque detected
(beyond the number Dr. Min mentioned, 56 out of 2000, which
does not correspond to any measure we’re aware of; this may be
a measure they use at their center) except that it was “mild”.
“What should I do now?”
When asked what to do about it, Min offered: “Correct lifestyle
factors like diet and exercise and have your cholesterol
checked.”
That’s a very conventional answer. Eat less saturated fat, get
some exercise, reduce cholesterol to standard targets. Does
this approach work?
It most certainly does not! The effort is not wasted―it may
slow plaque growth slightly, maybe delay heart attack a year.
But will it stop plaque growth? Not even close.
Remember, plaque is expected to grow 30% per year if no action
is taken. If Lauer follows the American Heart Association diet
and cuts back on cheeseburgers and pizza, continues his
exercise program (he apparently already exercises vigorously),
gets his LDL cholesterol down to 130 mg (a typical conventional
target), perhaps his rate of plaque growth will be 24% or
26%―it certainly won’t be zero or a reduction.
He can do a lot better than that!
While not all Track Your Plaque participants can expect zero
growth or reduction in heart scan score, the information we
provide stacks the odds as heavily as possible in your favor.
And we are indeed seeing more and more people obtain plaque
regression.
What advice could we offer Matt Lauer given the discovery of
his coronary plaque? If he were to adhere to the Track Your
Plaque program, we would suggest that he start by:
- Achieving the Track Your Plaque lipid targets of LDL 60 mg or less, HDL 60 mg or greater, triglycerides 60 mg or less
- Have his lipoproteins and associated tests (e.g., lipoprotein(a), C-reactive protein, homocysteine) measured to identify any hidden causes. Full correction of all hidden causes heightens the likelihood of stopping plaque growth.
- Add fish oil 4000 mg per day
- Add vitamin D 2000 units per day
- Add l-arginine 6000 mg twice per day
- Consider adding LDL-reducing foods like raw almonds or walnuts,1/4–1/2 cup per day; oat bran 3 Tbsp per day; consider adding sources of soy protein like soy yogurt, soy milk, soy cheese, soy protein powder smoothies.
This approach would improve his chances considerably of not
retracing the steps of his father. It would provide him with
far more plaque-control power than the usual “eat better,
exercise, and watch your cholesterol” approach that ends in
failure for the majority.
Copyright 2005, Track Your Plaque.