Posted on 07/12/2004 11:48:01 PM PDT by neverdem
PING
How many new customers for cholesterol drugs have just been created?
"Millions of Americans will be affected by the new advice, said Dr. Christie M. Ballantyne, director of the Center for Cardiovascular Protection at Baylor College of Medicine. He said that among the more than 28 million Americans at high risk, at least 8 million had L.D.L. levels of 100 to 129."
It depends on how many have to pay out of pocket.
What about side effects? I know people who had muscle soreness that preceeds muscle destruction and had to stop taking statins. I understand there are some digestive side effects, as well.
This is reminding me of the old aggressive guidelines for HRT.
With this large a sample, what will the downside be in 5 years or so?
They shove the liver to a new risk level. Enzymes have to be monitored on a regular basis.
Exactly my thought. I heard this in the truck on the radio and my first reaction was: Here's another 40 million new patients that will clog the system trying to be "healthy" by a new standard.
When Clintoon was in office, he signed off on new standards for obesity. Overnight I went from 15 pounds overweight to OBESE with his signature. Considering the size of Hitlery, I wonder if he was trying to get her institutionalized based on her out of control OBESITY?????
True. On the other hand, studies show that statins reduce the risk of stroke and may reduce the risk of colon and other forms of cancer by over 30%. Just like aspirin, statins seem to have many unintended consequences, both positive and negative.
Have you seen the new commercials on blood pressure? Looks like they want any one above 120/80 on BP meds...even children.
Yes, and we do not know the long term consequences of shutting off a couple of the metabolic pathways. So far there has been no statistical correlation between taking statins and actual increases in longevity, and some Lipitor ads carry that disclaimer.
The only "fact" in all this is the very high price of a very simple compound that a freshman Chem major could make in a dorm room.
My husband was put on Lipitor and a week later got the muscle aches and a really nasty rash that at first we thought was poison ivy (but wasn't). He's off it now and the aches are gone but the rash is slow going away.
LQ
Yet another scam by the drug companies and the live-forever-on-drugs cult...
Care to guess who paid for the study that "proved" cholestrol needs to be lowered even more?
I drink, smoke, eat meat, eggs, fish and cheese. I take no prescription drugs. And I'll outlive every doctor I've ever seen.
Man, since when did the quest for a long miserable life become a medical ideal?
Same here, except that I'm not fond of eggs and we eat no processed or fast food-none of us are overweight, and my husband has already outlived two doctors he knew who insisted that to be healthy, you had to give up drinking, smoking, red meat, cheese, coffee etc-they both died of heart attacks before the age of 60...
So, not only will the drug companies benefit, the labs will also, due both to an increased number of patients on statins, as well as more people being checked for cholesterol problems.
People also need periodic liver screens....more $$ to the testing system. More MD appointments.
I think they want to take statins to OTC, as well.
They changed the height/weight charts. They are changing the *food pyramid*(I can barely contain my excitement). In effect, our rations have been cut and dietary control is not even stealth, anymore
BP drugs will keep everyone mellow. They will also be selling more Viagra, et al.
Statins will make money for the drug companies and having everyone on them means they will go generic faster and go OTC,w/volume making up the profit differential, IMO. Already we have OJ and margerine w/sterols in them. Loads of people are taking Red Yeast for lipids.
Those who don't tolerate statins will be bullied into becoming runners and vegetarians on *common good* grounds. If that generates anxiety, we can give them even more beta blockers.
I used to stick up for the medical community and thought the idea of all of us being controlled by the state was tin-foil. I am becoming a believer.
Our bodies' systems consist of tightly-controlled, balanced and inter-related pathways. We had loads of studies *proving* HRT was advantageous in preventing heart attacks and strokes, It proved wrong. Of course, that was after most women over 45 were on the hormones.
I don't think they care how long we live. They want to reduce the pressure on hospitals and ORs. Pills, tests, and office visits will keep the system solvent at a lower cost in dollars and skilled med staff. Lower level medical workers can handle the various office visits. Less fodder for the tort lawyers, until, of course, the unforeseen side effects become evident. Then the class actions will start.
I have read in many sources (not AMA approved, of course) that eating a good amount of garlic on a regular basis lowers cholesterol. Worth a try, only side effect is sunny smell and sometimes you feel a bit hot eating it especially raw. It's good in salad dressing or as garlic bread!
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