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Experts reported that using higher doses of drugs to reduce
cholesterol decreases the risk of heart attack, bypass surgery
and chest pains. The finding could place new pressure on doctors
to treat their patients more aggressively by using higher
doses of statin drugs to reduce cholesterol levels in people
with heart disease.
In the study it was found that people who took a double dose
of the drug atorvastatin, sold under the brand name Lipitor,
had their LDL levels drop to 62 milligrams per deciliter of
blood compared to the patients whose LDL level dropped to
95 milligrams per deciliter after taking a standard dose of
Pravachol.
The study showed that the patients treated with Lipitor lowered
their risk of dangerous chest pain, heart attack and bypass
surgery by 16 percent compared to those patients that took
Pravachol.
This advice could mean a huge increase in health care costs
because in the United States, only 11 million of the 36 million
people who experts say should be taking cholesterol medication
are actually taking them.
To get an idea of costs, a starting dose for Lipitor costs
$900 per year and an 80-milligram dose that the new study
is proposing would cost $1,400 annually.
The participants of the study included 4,162 volunteers at
349 medical centers in eight countries who had all been hospitalized
for unstable chest pains or a heart attack. Benefits from
the treatment became apparent within 30 days.
New
England Journal of Medicine March 8, 2004
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