Welcome to my podcast. I am Doctor Warrick Bishop, and I want to help you to live as well as possible for as long as possible. I’m a practising cardiologist, best-selling author, keynote speaker, and the creator of The Healthy Heart Network. I have over 20 years as a specialist cardiologist and a private practice of over 10,000 patients.
Dr. Warrick Bishop, a cardiologist and CEO of the Healthy Heart Network, discusses common patient concerns regarding cholesterol-lowering medications, specifically statin intolerance and the desire to manage health naturally. He explains that while some individuals report statin intolerance, the medical community acknowledges the complexity of this issue, including the well-documented nocebo effect, where expectations of side effects can actually trigger them.
He breaks adverse responses into three groups: true allergic reactions, rare idiosyncratic responses that occur unpredictably, and tolerance-related effects—the latter being by far the most common and usually manageable. In most cases, patients can work toward a personalised statin dose that supports long-term health without significant discomfort. The aim isn’t simply to tick a box on a prescription—it’s to help people live well for longer.
Dr. Bishop also speaks to those who prefer natural approaches, noting that heart disease remains a major health threat in Australia, with a heart attack happening roughly every 20 minutes. While lifestyle matters deeply, our biology wasn’t built for modern longevity; we evolved to survive long enough to raise children, not to cruise into our 80s and 90s. That means staying well often requires a mix of smart lifestyle decisions and modern medical tools—essentially outsmarting our own DNA.
To dive deeper, Dr. Bishop highlights his book, Cholesterol Explained, co-authored with Associate Professor Karam Kostner, which listeners can request through their local library.
Takeaways:
- Heart disease is a major health concern in Australia, with a heart attack occurring every 20 minutes, many of which could be preventable.
- The podcast addresses two common patient concerns: statin intolerance and a preference for natural health approaches over medication.
- Statin intolerance is complex, with a recognized ‘nocebo’ effect contributing to perceived adverse reactions.
- Adverse drug reactions can be categorized into allergic (anaphylactic), idiosyncratic, and tolerance-related.
- Allergic and idiosyncratic reactions are severe and unpredictable, meaning reintroduction of the causative agent is not advised.
- Tolerance-related reactions are the most common and manageable, allowing for a personalized dosage approach.
- The goal when managing statin intolerance is to find a tolerable dosage that allows patients to live as well as possible for as long as possible.
- Humans have not evolved for longevity; our biological blueprint was designed for survival and reproduction in early adulthood, not for living into our 70s, 80s, or 90s.
- To age well and maintain health and independence, it’s necessary to ‘outsmart’ our DNA by utilizing modern medicine and lifestyle choices.
- The book ‘Cholesterol Explained’ by Dr. Warrick Bishop and Associate Professor Karam Kostner is available and can be requested at local libraries.
Australia, like the rest of the western world, has a heart problem.
Over 9 million people around the world die from heart disease every year.
Every 10 minutes, someone in Australia suffers a heart attack. And 21 lives are lost daily because of it.
The devastating fact in all of this is…
Almost every one of those cases could have been prevented.
This podcast is for anyone who wants to improve their health literacy and gain information to help them make the best decisions about their risk of heart attack, their cholesterol, blood pressure, risk of diabetes, weight loss and general health. Join me on my personal mission journey to prevent Heart Attack on a global scale. If you like this podcast, I would be honoured by a 5-star review and appreciate if you let your friends and family know about this podcast; you may even save the life of someone you love!
Are You at Risk of a Sudden Heart Attack? How Healthy is Your Heart? Really?
Heart disease is the #1 killer in the Western World. In Australia, someone dies every 28 minutes from heart disease. That’s 51 people a day. In the US, someone has a heart attack every 40 SECONDS! Fortunately, many heart attacks are preventable. However, regular exercise and eating healthy are no guarantee you won’t succumb to this silent killer.
- 94% of Australians have at least One Risk Factor for heart disease.
- 59% of Australians have been Touched by heart disease.
- Yet only 3% of Australians have had a Full Heart-Health Assessment in the past 12 months.
Do the free heart check today at www.virtualheartcheck.com.au
Join the Healthy Heart Network and become part of our growing community!
Do You Want to Improve Your Heart’s Health and Reduce Your Risk of Suffering a Heart Attack? Join The Healthy Heart Network For Only $5 Lifetime Access (Valued at over $55)!
The Healthy Heart Network is designed to help members:
- understand the present state of their heart’s health
- recognise their current level of risk of suffering a heart attack
- Learn the positive steps they can take to improve their situation
Visit https://healthyheartnetwork.com/ and click on the JOIN THE FAMILY BUTTON
