This is what I found:
The role of blood cholesterol levels in coronary heart disease (CHD) and the true effect of cholesterol-lowering statin drugs are debatable. In particular, whether statins actually decrease cardiac mortality and increase life expectancy is controversial.Subsequent statin studies have led the United States Food and Drug Administration to issue warnings regarding the increased risk of diabetes and decreased cognition with statin drugs....statin trials conducted after 2005 have failed to demonstrate a consistent mortality benefit
The median postponement of death for primary and secondary prevention trials were 3.2 and 4.1 days, respectively.
Researchers found... (a) 72% increase in type 2 diabetes noted in postmenopausal women taking statins.Statins have not been shown to increase life expectancy in these patients or in others not suffering from clinical evidence of CVD.
As always, be skeptical of what you find on the internet. I picked these articles because they referenced peer reviewed publication
Think this through
I want you to think through the consequences of telling your doctor that you won't take statins based on your own, independent research.
A note will go into your electronic file stating "Patient refuses treatment." or "Patient not compliant with treatment plan." Those notes will go into your file every time you get counseled on the results of your blood tests...at least annually.
If we continue to trudge toward Big Brother medicine, that could become a death sentence if medical care is rationed. You might go to a medical facility and need a procedure to save you life. The care givers might determine that it would be a waste of resources because you are a non-compliant patient.
Consider...just consider...graciously accepting the lowest dose of the cheapest commodity statin ($4/month) and religiously picking up the prescription when it is automatically filled. Nod your head in agreement like a malleable and righteous acolyte.
The nail that sticks up is hammered down.
Yeah, sad story... And the docs will 'tell' you that if you stop the statins, you're risking death... sigh
ReplyDeleteMost low-carb docs seem agree with your assessment that statins are not typically necessary, and that high cholesterol is somewhat protective, especially in the elderly.
ReplyDeleteMetformin, on the other hand, seems to possibly be beneficial for healthspan as well as longevity, regardless of Type 2 Diabetes or not.
Note: I'm not a doctor, and don't play one on the Internet.
:)
Does anyone find it interesting that the patents on the #1 statin Crestor expired last summer, opening the gates for next-to-nothing generics (my wife is a client), and this is almost immediately followed by NEW research revealing......
ReplyDeleteJoe, considering that the climate change/global warming controversy is based in large part on peer reviewed papers, makes me take any sudden shift in received wisdom with a grain of salt. Do we take more medications than we need, probably we do.
ReplyDeleteKnew somebody who was prescribed a statin after their heart attack. Did exactly what you mentioned. Nodded, "yup, yup, yup". Filled the prescriptions. Threw them in the trash.
ReplyDelete