Statin Use Has Jumped 150 Percent

re: Statin Use Has Jumped 150 Percent

Deborah.M — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 20:00:20 GMT

I wouldn't put anything into my mouth without doing my own research on it first. I think Dr.s feel that if you are taking the day off to come and see them about a problem then it's expected of them to do or give you something for "the problem". Thats not the reason I go to see a Dr. I go to make sure I don't have some dreaded disease or condition and I also go help myself to stay healthy. Before I go I'm going to relate to you a true story. I went the OBGYN for bleeding between periods. After he did his exam he made his recommendations. Use Mirena or have some surgery to scrape the uterus or take birthcontrol pills. He stoppped talking and I knew that this meant that this was all the options that he put before me. I said to him what if I don't want to do anything(I saw him just to make sure it wasn't cancer). He thought about that for a few seconds and then said "Well you can do that also". True story. Dr.s can and do miss the obvious.

re: Statin Use Has Jumped 150 Percent

RobinAnne72 — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 01:23:15 GMT

If you want the truth about cholesterol, hunt down The Cholesterol Myths. Sorry, but I cannot spell the physician/researcher's name, so I will not include it here. Just Google the title. I was able to get a copy from one of the e-bay stores. A very informative read.

re: Statin Use Has Jumped 150 Percent

Dr Rik — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 20:42:58 GMT

My comments come from a Health Newsletter that I just wrote on this very topic (the tail wagging the dog).

quoted from the New England Journal of Medicine, Frederick A. Masoudi, M.D., M.S.P.H.

…clinicians should be considered remiss if they do not prescribe these agents (statins) for all their eligible patients.3

content.nejm.org/.../2301

Dr. Rik comments; in other words, if the Medical Doctor (for whatever reason) decides that drugs are not the ticket for a patient with high cholesterol, they will be open to censure for their recommendations. This is spite of a few details that don’t receive much publicity. (Many feel the day is soon coming when M.D.s will prescribe or be guilty of malpractice).

quoted from the website of Dr. Weeks http://weeksmd.com/?cat=172

“-despite the fact that no trials have shown that statins significantly reduce all-cause mortality …

-and despite the fact that …, rosuvastatin failed to reduce deaths from cardiovascular or all causes;

-and despite the overwhelming evidence that each of the following separately - let alone when combined- do achieve these goals safely and at negligible cost:

- fish oil; metformin; appropriate HRT; or combination of appropriate non-prescription vitamins, minerals, biologicals and herbs.

But then such low-cost, appropriate safe natural supplements have no massive drug company sponsors …

The NEJM failed to publish with it’s Editorial extract Dr Masoudi’s conflict of interest: “is on the Speaker’s Bureau for Astra Zeneca (Rosuvastatin).”

neil.burman@gmail.com

Dr. Rik; so if you decided to change your lifestyle; nutrition, exercise, and it actually worked; you might still find yourself “ama”=against medical advice.

from

1) freedom of choice (1800’s) to

2) Medical dominance (1900’s) followed by

3) let the Drug companies tell you how to do it (welcome to the new millennium!)

re: Statin Use Has Jumped 150 Percent

Elaine Wood — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 20:39:28 GMT

I have lowered my cholesterol by taking red yeast rice w/ CoQ 10. My doctor knows that I don't take prescription drugs and recommended it.

re: Statin Use Has Jumped 150 Percent

rover — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 19:15:19 GMT

I had heart attack 5 years ago though my cholesterol was considered then as 'normal' & I had none of the usual indicators - overweight smoking etc & many years on a low fat diet. Also I exercised regularly (I think it was this exercise that enable me to regain fitness quickly after a CABG)

I can accept that the LDl/HDL ratio is important but I have read recently that LECTINS may be implied as a cause of CVD. I had never heard of this until a week or so ago but lectins are a component of wheat grains & most other vegetables.

Is the focus on cholesterol reduction taking attention away from what might be more significant?

re: Statin Use Has Jumped 150 Percent

yauboo — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 16:22:05 GMT

Cholesterol index was 280 back in 1968 and was normal. One should not worry about cholesterol level too much.

re: Statin Use Has Jumped 150 Percent

DDS_203 — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 15:34:44 GMT

Owlhollow, You are right about the important thing to know about cholesterol numbers is the ratio of HDL to total cholesterol. My total is usually around or over 200 but my HDL is high so my doctor says "continue doing what you are doing." I have come across very few people that know the ratio is what counts.

re: Statin Use Has Jumped 150 Percent

Lotusflower — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 13:47:22 GMT

High cholesterol is one of the first signs of dehydration. DRINK WATER!

Better still, get a copy of Dr. Batmangheldij's book - You're Not Sick, You're Thirsty.

re: Statin Use Has Jumped 150 Percent

Pinocchio — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 23:01:56 GMT

Why don't you mention Linus Pauling's findings that the "statins" do not lower, but may actually increase the real bad LDL, LP(a), (LipoProtein a) and as such does not have any benificial impact on CD -

According to Pauling, vitamine C and L-Lysine is all it takes to prevent CD, wich is a form of scervy in the arteries.

re: Statin Use Has Jumped 150 Percent

jennie h — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 19:16:40 GMT

Thought everyone might be interested in the article Sunday in the New York Times. "Palpitations Over A New Pill for Kids. It stated that the use of statin drugs will now be extended to children as young as 8 years of age. It indicates that the drugs will only be used for kids with high LDL and diabetes, or high LDL and two other "risk" factors, such as family members with heart disease.

Although the American Academy of Pediatrics states that their new guidelines are not influenced by the pharmaceutical industry, IRS reports indicate significant contributions from Marck - 433K, Abbott Laboratories - 835K, and 216K from Bristol Meyers Squibb.

Dr. Stephen Daniels states in this article, "I don't see this as a major groundswell for the indiscriminate use of lipid-lowing drugs" - he's a member of the AAP's nutrition committe and chairmens of the department of pediatrics at the University of colorado Denver School of Medicine. He also has disclosed ties to the pharmaceutical industry. He's a one-time consultant for Merck and has worked for Abbott Laboratories. Two other AAP committee members who participated in this decision also have pharmaceutical ties - one to Merck and Pfizer's clinical trials of cholesterol drugs as well as another who has "financial ties" to Bristol Meyers Squibb, Abbott and Merck.

Depressed yet?

re: Statin Use Has Jumped 150 Percent

Anthony Wibowo — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 18:51:06 GMT

To Arizona: May be more than 150%. Can any body help with the answer?

About a week ago on tv (Canada) "they" said cholesterol lowering drug can be given to 8 year old patient, because they found that young people develop hypertension at a very young age.

I think "they" are insane.

re: Statin Use Has Jumped 150 Percent

jim.adams2 — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 16:04:47 GMT

Dr. Mercola and friends,

Since the consensus of most of what I read/hear from "experts" is that the real danger of heart attack, stroke, clots, cancer, etc. is SMALL PARTICLE LDL and INFLAMMATION and that the NTT of Lipitor is-- (out of 100 studied) only 2 had heart attack and died whereas withOUT Lipitor only 3 died. Whoopy! Statistical interpretation for ads is a ONE THIRD REDUCTION, or 50% INCREASE without it but within testing error. Obviously greatly deceptive, especially ignoring the 42% severly affected by side effects some with life threatening chronic disease.

So does anyone KNOW and with what source of authencity answers to the following:

Q1-What is the definitive test for THE real cause of heart attack related to cholesterol/inflammation statistically and with real limits like homocysteine MUST BE <9.?

CRP, Homocysteine, High LDL, Lp(a) and /or MRI of the blood or?

Q2-What is the best preventatives besides exercise to avoid statins and side effects?

Exercise weights and walking (how long?), running, red yeast rice (which it's rumored that FDA made to delete statin content), diet of raw food (or concentrated greens/fruits in caps) ,olive oil (canola for cooking), Stevia, weight reduction to 25 BMI (not doable), High D3 (5000 IU), High fish/krill oil DHA and EPA (what daily dose for 200#, age 72 ) and my lastest discovery concentrated flax seed HULLS.

Fruit and vegetables are fraught with dangers of contaminants that cannot be cleaned. Fresh organic is very expensive (double). Easier to do in Hawaii where you live with year-round produce/fruit at hand.

Many say avoid ALL GRAINS AND SUGARS, mix the glycemic loads, no alcohol (sugar feeds cancer which we all have). Others say eat only WHOLE grains, not the same as whole wheat, and only Fiber One cereal 57% fiber. I defy any to avoid HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP or aspartame without a RADICAL DIET AND LIFE CHANGE BEYOND MOST PEOPLE not desireable.

or all of the above "shotgun".

re: Statin Use Has Jumped 150 Percent

global1 — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 15:51:36 GMT

Statins.....now here is a case study in complete corporate greed and lack of concern for the suffering people endure because of that greed.

As Dr. Mercola states, high cholesterol IS NOT a disease, it is an indicator (symptom) of a different problem, typically the result of bad blood chemistry due to diet, stress, lack of exercise and other known causes.

In my practice I educate my clients on the exact same items Dr. Mercola talks about, especially consuming a high quality Omega-3 and I also recommend they take high quality adaptogens as the synergy of the adaptogens, Omega-3, and exercise typically gets their cholesterol numbers under control in a matter of 4 to 10 weeks.

Dr. Mercola has lots of info on Omega-3, for more info on what adaptogens are and how they work visit:

www.miracleadaptogens.com , but be aware that adaptogens are now a "buzzword" in the nutritional industry and many products state they have adaptogens in them but don't or even worse, they have insufficient amounts or ones that have no bio-availability. As with everything in health, diet and supplements, all items are not equal and most are completely ineffective.

Stress is a HUGE factor in high cholesterol as it activates your "fight or flight response" that is hard-wired into all mammal's bodies. The adrenal glands manufacture cortisol and other chemicals and dump them into your blood stream to ready your body to fight or flee and those chemicals are very inflammatory to your cardio-vascular system and irritate the inside lining of your veins and arteries. Your body responds by producing cholesterol made by your liver and paints that cholesterol on the inflammed tissues, then a simple ion transfer from other items in your blood results in calcium deposition into that cholesterol and BAM! you have clogged arteries and worse.

You can fix all this simply with Dr. Mercola's suggestions and consuming adaptogens.

re: Statin Use Has Jumped 150 Percent

owlhollow — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 15:48:17 GMT

My doctor kept trying to insist I take statins and when I told her no she sent me a registered letter, which also went in my file, telling me that I had to or she wouldn't take responsibility. I switched doctor's right then but am afraid that if for some reason the company I work for decides it can't afford to have a group health insurance plan I will not be able to get insurance. My cholesterol numbers are quite high but the ratio is good and I have been working on getting them down without drugs and have been successful but not enough for the doctors. Every year it gets harder and harder to even go in for the checkup!

re: Statin Use Has Jumped 150 Percent

Arizona — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 13:36:10 GMT

Limelemon,

Let's put it another way..... If statin use has increased 150% ,have heart attack and strokes increased 150% ???