Recent news described President Trump’s health as “excellent,” an opinion expressed by the White House physician. Then cardiologists like Eric Topol, M.D., and Dan Rader, M.D., and other noteworthy experts in cardiology weighed in, expressing contrary opinions.

Recent news described President Trump’s health as “excellent,” an opinion expressed by the White House physician. Then cardiologists like Eric Topol, M.D., and Dan Rader, M.D., and other noteworthy experts in cardiology weighed in, expressing contrary opinions.

Preventive cardiology has progressed to an accepted series of measurements widely agreed to quantify the risk of a heart attack or stroke. For example, the coronary artery calcium score measures calcified plaque in the arteries near the heart, visible on a scan. Trump’s score was 34 in 2009 but had increased to 133 by the time of his physical in January 2018. This is greater than a 15-percent-per-year increase and is deemed excessive.

His BMI (body-mass index) is 30 to 31, which is the category of obesity. His risk factors include poor sleep duration and high-stress level.

He is on a cholesterol-lowering medication, Crestor, which was reportedly doubled recently, but this increase in dose has been shown to decrease LDL, the bad cholesterol, only by six percent.

If he were my patient, I would advise lowering his LDL from 133 to under 70 as well as increasing exercise to 300 minutes weekly to aid in weight loss, getting more sleep, and reducing stress.