Do the heart benefits go away if I stop taking it? — looking for input

josh_phd_bmore said:

Cardiac biomarkers and cardiovascular risk: my cardiologist ordered advanced cardiac labs given my family history.

Senior perspective on cardiovascular risk: I'm 69 years old and started this journey skeptically. My geriatrician recommended it after years of failed interventions.

9 months later: down 47 lbs, more mobile, pain reduced, medications simplified. My quality of life has improved dramatically. I wish this existed 20 years ago.

To other older adults hesitating: the SELECT trial proved benefit in our age group. You deserve to feel good in your body regardless of age.

josh_phd_bmore said:

Cardiac biomarkers and cardiovascular risk: my cardiologist ordered advanced cardiac labs given my family history.

Thank you — that is the clearest version of this I have read, and I have read a lot of them.

Adding the clinical framing, because it changes how the question reads.

Lp(a) and cardiovascular risk: a nuance that matters. Unlike most lipid markers, Lp(a) is 90%+ genetically determined and doesn't really change with weight loss or GLP-1 therapy.

My Lp(a) has remained at 42 nmol/L across all time points. If yours is elevated (>50 nmol/L), you need additional risk mitigation strategies regardless of your GLP-1 response. Don't assume your medication is covering all cardiovascular risk factors.

sarah_TO said:

Lp(a) and cardiovascular risk: a nuance that matters.

Adding a me-too, because a thread of one person's experience is not much use. I had assumed I was the exception until I read this.

sarah_TO said:

Lp(a) and cardiovascular risk: a nuance that matters.

There is a second half to this that has not been said yet. Start from the measurement rather than the conclusion. Almost every disagreement here turns out to be two people measuring different things and comparing the numbers anyway.