Former President Clinton’s Restenosis

Five years ago I wrote in this column, “Former President Clinton has joined 400,000 Americans who required coronary bypass surgery in the last year”. Clinton had high blood cholesterol and took cholesterol-lowering drugs (CLDs). But in spite of these drugs, along with superb medical care, they failed to prevent a blocked artery. Again, recently, the insertion of two stents (tiny structures like scaffolding) were required to reopen one coronary artery after he experienced chest pain.

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Five years ago, following his bypass, I wrote to the former President. I suggested he should discuss with his cardiologists the merit of high doses of vitamin C and lysine to prevent a recurrent blockage (restenosis) of his coronary arteries. I did not expect a reply nor did I receive one. I suspect his doctors will continue to prescribe increasing amounts of CLDs and I fear the former President will face more complications in the future. Restenosis of coronary arteries has been a persistent and challenging problem following the use of stents. Why this blockage occurs should not be surprising. It’s impossible to place a foreign body inside any organ, particularly one as small as a piece of spaghetti, without the expectation of some trouble. Clinton’s doctor has, in all probability, inserted two medicated stents to decrease the risk of restenosis. Clinton will also be placed on anticoagulants to add more protection. Nevertheless, he still faces the risk of attacks of angina due to further restenosis. But could Clinton’s bypass and his need for two stents have been avoided? Dr. Sydney Bush in England has shown that high doses of vitamin C (10,000 milligrams of ascorbic acid taken in divided doses during the day), along with 3,000 milligrams of Lysine twice a day can open blocked coronary arteries. This research continues to collect dust. So Clinton and millions of others will be treated with CLDs, often unaware that there’s also a negative side to using this medication. Every day I see patients worried about their level of blood cholesterol. They assume these numbers are the be-all-and-end-all in the prevention of coronary attack. But there are several inconsistencies. For instance, it’s been known for years that not all patients with high blood cholesterol die from heart disease. And that others with low blood cholesterol also succumb to this disease. I would suspect that Clinton does not realize that cholesterol is a vital substance needed in a number of vital metabolic actions in the body. We would all die without cholesterol. But in spite of the role cholesterol plays in our body, researchers insist that we must use CLDs to reduce blood cholesterol levels lower and lower. But there is evidence that in the process we may be exchanging one devil for another. I doubt that anyone has informed Clinton of the Prosper study. This showed that those on CLDs had fewer deaths from cardiovascular disease, but this was offset by an increase of deaths from cancer. Studies have also shown that over the age of 50, low cholesterol is associated with an increased risk of death. Researchers at the University of Denmark report that about 15 percent of patients over this age on CLDs suffer from nerve damage. This is not too surprising since a huge amount of cholesterol is in brain tissue. This may be the reason why some patients on CLDs have suffered from amnesia and nervous disorders. Since I’m not Clinton’s doctor, nor for the readers of this column, these are my personal views. But I do practice what I preach. I had to face this decision 12 years ago after a coronary attack and bypass surgery. Cardiologists insisted I was crazy not to take CLDs. They may prove to be right, of course, 12 healthy years later! But I’ve studied this matter extensively since that time and decided that, for me, vitamin C and lysine therapy make more sense. I’ve also spent time with Dr. Bush in England and witnessed regression of blocked arteries with big C and lysine. Who is right? I believe history will show there’s much more to coronary restenosis than elevated blood cholesterol. I wish I could be around for the answer.