coronary heart disease cure

coronary heart disease cure
In January 2008, there were some worrying news from the FDA about the risks of cholesterol-lowering drug Vytorin (a combination of Zetia (Ezetimibe) and the statin drug Zocor (simvastatin)). Data from the study that the Improving has not been revealed by the manufacturer, Merck / Schering-Plow, showed that the drug combination does not reduce atherosclerotic plaque better than a generic statin drug, simvastatin, if they are alone.

In fact, if anything Vytorin seemed to atherosclerotic plaque worse, although he has a greater impact on lowering cholesterol. Vytorin was also associated with an alarming increase in the risk of liver damage. In addition, Zetia, Vytorin are in has never been shown to reduce the risk of heart attacks or strokes. Vytorin And, at $ 2.84 a pop, and Zetia ($ 2.63) cost of a rear-of-a-lot more than simvastatin, which is less than a dollar per pill.

Doctors use cholesterol-lowering drugs to cholesterol to normal levels. However, just because a drug lowers cholesterol, does not mean it will do what the patients most in need, this is your life, or even the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

The most commonly prescribed drugs to lower cholesterol, the statins include Lipitor, Zocor, Crestor, Mevacor, and Pravachol. Statins lower LDL-cholesterol blocking an enzyme that churn of LDL-cholesterol in the liver, called CoEnzymeA HMG-reductase. Thirteen million legislation for statins each year. Ezetimibe (Zetia) is a drug that blocks the absorption of LDL cholesterol by the small intestine, so that the LDL-cholesterol in the blood. Zetia acts on cells along the small intestine, with their intake of cholesterol. If we are following the recommendations of the experts, cholesterol-lowering medication would be to every American with an LDL greater than 130 mg / dL over 45 years.

Since half of Americans over 35 years have an LDL greater than 130, this would mean that almost half of all Americans, or 100 million people, in theory, the statins. For a year statin costs of up to $ 3000, that the cost of $ 300 billion per year. Comparing the national guidelines for statin should be in different countries, the guidelines, which for the most liberal use of statins (you guessed it, the USA) for 25% of the population are on statins, saved, no longer lives as the guidelines for one of the most restrictive countries, New Zealand, the treatment of 13% of the population.

In healthy men without a history of heart disease and risk factors for heart disease (smoking, hypertension, family history of heart disease, familial hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, obesity and diabetes), there is no evidence that cholesterol-lowering medications are helpful in terms of preventing heart attacks and strokes. For men with risk factors, the majority of studies show that they prevent heart attacks, but do not reduce the risk of dying. Cholesterol-lowering does not prevent heart attacks in women without heart disease or in men without heart disease who are over the age of 70.

And a statin does not prevent you from a heart attack or to die, if you heart disease. It is only slightly reduces the risk of approximately 0.2% per year. The only study to show that statins reduce the risk of death in patients without heart disease showed that after 15 years, men who Pravachol fewer deaths (106 versus 135 to placebo), there was a 51% increase in prostate cancer. Other studies have shown a slight increase in the risk of cancer, especially with the use of high doses of statins for cholesterol to very low levels. Statins can also cause liver damage, depression, memory disturbances, and joint pain. They can also cause damage to the muscles, the muscle pain. In rare cases, this may lead to the breakdown of muscles, to kidney failure. Zetia can be headaches, dizziness, diarrhea, muscle and joint pain, and rarely jaundice, gallstones or inflammation of the pancreas.

Bottom line? The medicines you are taking to prevent heart disease may not be as useful as you think, and in some cases can do more harm than good. Let the buyer beware.

J. Douglas Bremner, MD, is a researcher and physician and author of'Before You Take That Pill: Why the drug industry may be bad for your health: risks and adverse reactions can not find it on the label to the commonly prescribed medications, vitamins and additions. "http://www.beforeyoutakethatpill.com