Question 405 of 433
What are the biggest myths you hear?
The short answer
Here are ten, each corrected in a line.
“My cholesterol is fine because my HDL is high.” High HDL does not cancel high LDL.
“I feel fine, so my blood pressure must be fine.” It has no symptoms.
“Heart disease is a man’s disease.” Heart and blood vessel disease kills more women than all cancers combined.
“Natural means safe.” Supplements cause thousands of emergency visits a year.
“Red wine is good for the heart.” The apparent benefit came from flawed studies.
“I am too old to lift weights.” You are too old not to.
“Thin means healthy.” Not if you are weak, inactive, or carry fat around your organs.
“It runs in my family, so nothing can be done.” Inherited risk is the best reason to act early.
“A normal stress test means clean arteries.” It detects only severe blockages.
“I will start when things calm down.” They will not. Start now.
“This book is for education. It is not medical advice, and reading it does not make you my patient or create a doctor-patient relationship.” From the book’s medical disclaimer. Full disclaimer
CLINICAL SYNTHESIS — Common misconceptions; each correction depends on its specific evidence and context.Evidence grade (draft mapping)JClinical judgment / author synthesisPart 27, Q405 · Part sources
From Longevity Unmasked by Afshine Ash Emrani, MD, FACC. Medical disclaimer. This book is for education. It is not medical advice, and reading it does not make you my patient or create a doctor-patient relationship. Nothing here is meant to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Medicine is personal: a test, drug, supplement, or exercise plan that helps one person can harm another. Do not start, stop, or change any medication or treatment because of something you read in these pages. Talk with a licensed clinician who knows your history first. If you think you are having a medical emergency, call 911. The author disclaims responsibility for any loss or harm arising from use of the information in this book.