Cholesterol-lowering statin drugs work to lower "bad" LDL cholesterol in clinical trials, however, in reality many patients do not stick to the pill-taking routine, rendering the treatment less effective than initially thought.
According to a recent study of 400 new statin users, levels of LDL cholesterol were lowered one-third less than expected from clinical trials. Three statin drugs, atorvastatin (Lipitor), simvastatin (Zocor) and pravastatin (Pravachol), were involved in the study and all three yielded similar results.
The gap between expected and actual outcomes may be due to patients’ adherence to the medications as well as diet, researchers say.
Additionally, some patients responded highly to the drugs while others did not. According to researchers, this variation indicates that poor results are likely due to a low compliance with treatment recommendations.
Patients may not adhere to statin therapy, which has been shown to lower the risk of both LDL cholesterol and the risk of heart attack, for several reasons. Researchers mention monetary reasons, concerns about the drug’s safety and simply not remembering as possible reasons.
Though statins are thought to be generally safe, one such drug, Baycol (cerivastatin), was recently recalled due to adverse side effects including severe muscle weakness and several deaths from rhabdomyolysis, which causes muscle to break down.
The recall has raised fears over statin side effects; however several national institutes, including the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology, have recently stated that the drugs are safe and effective in treating high cholesterol.
American Journal of Medicine December 2002;113:625-629
Not only does this article bring up the issue of compliance as discussed above but also the issue of whether or not statins actually work to lower the risk of death, as was suggested by a recent study published in JAMA.
As I commented on that article:
First, it is important to remember history. Not long ago Baycol, a statin drug, was removed from the market because dozens of deaths had been associated with its use, causing nearly 750,000 people to stop taking the drug.
If you were to believe the "experts," half of Americans should be placed on these statin drugs.
However, nothing could be further from the truth. As the study above suggests, when you treat the symptoms of high cholesterol with a drug you are in no way, shape or from treating the cause. So it should come as no surprise that they do not work to lower the overall death rate.
However, there are some simple things you can do to normalize cholesterol levels.
The first is to normalize your insulin levels by eliminating sugar and grains. This works for most people unless they have a genetic defect called familial hypercholsterolemia.
Secondly you can take a high-quality fish oil that is chock full of beneficial omega-3 fatty acids. It is important to find a fish oil that is independently tested by a lab and found to conform to purity guidelines. This will ensure that the oil is free of mercury and other toxins. One such brand, which I have found to be of superior quality, is Carlson’s fish and cod liver oil, and I now offer this exceptional fish oil/cod liver oil to you in my "Recommended Products" section.
Additionally, if you are a man, or a woman who is in menopause, you should check your iron levels as elevated levels of iron can raise cholesterol levels and cause major oxidative damage in the blood vessels, heart and other organs. Excess iron is also one of the major contributing factors of cancer risk.
Regular exercise is another important tool that may reduce your risk of heart disease.
Related Articles:
The Baycol Recall: How Safe Is Your Statin? Women Can Have Too Much Iron Iron Can Have Devastating Effects on Your Health Exercise Could Wipe Out Effect of Stress on Heart
The Baycol Recall: How Safe Is Your Statin?
Women Can Have Too Much Iron
Iron Can Have Devastating Effects on Your Health
Exercise Could Wipe Out Effect of Stress on Heart