The Lipid Profile - 1 year after meds

I have my lipids tested every 6 months now. Here are the last three together. You can see a marked improvement in all of the key indicators over the 12 months. The HDL is higher, the LDL is lower, the the Triglycerides are way down from the original.  That's the Tricor doing its stuff.

It looks like I still need to work on the Tri's, and my weight is creeping up. Much of that is diet related - I don't watch what I eat and drink as much as I should.

Here are my March 2010 values:

Lipid panel:                         Value                Good:    Comments
   cholesterol, total               173  mg/dl         <200    (GOOD!)
   HDL cholesterol               37  mg/dl            >39    (CLOSE!)
   cholesterol/hdl ratio           4.68                 <5.00 (GOOD!)
   LDL cholesterol, calculated   (can not be calculated when the
triglyceride exceeds 400 mg/dl).
   triglyceride                        712  mg/dl         <150 (BAD!)

Here are my September 2010 Values:

Lipid panel:
   cholesterol, total               153  mg/dl         <200    (20 pts improvement)
   HDL cholesterol                 50  mg/dl            >39    (13 pts improvement)
   cholesterol/hdl ratio           3.06                 <5.00    (50% improvement)
   LDL cholesterol, calculated   76                   <100     (good)

   triglyceride                        133  mg/dl         <150    (nearly 600 pt redux)

Here are my March 2011 Values:
Lipid panel:
   cholesterol, total               132  mg/dl         <200    (21 pts improvement)
   HDL cholesterol                 46  mg/dl            >39    (4 pts drop)
   cholesterol/hdl ratio           2.87                 <5.00    (Still lower)
   LDL cholesterol, calculated   52                   <100     (good)
   triglyceride                        168  mg/dl         <150    (Just over the limit)
 

I think if I had shown the first lipid panel to a PCP, they would have instituted a 

change that may have reduced the risk or prevented my heart attack. 

My sister tells me that her Tri's are also high, so there may be some 

genetic contribution.

So if I were you, I would schedule a PCP visit at least once a year, and insist 

on a lipid panel. It will tell you a lot about your heart health!