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| Science & Technology |
| MILLIONS of Americans taking popular daily drugs don't need them and may be putting themselves at risk of nasty side effects, says major study |
| 2024-06-12 |
| [Daily Mail, where America gets its news] Millions of Americans on cholesterol-lowering pills may not need them and could be putting themselves at risk of side effects like liver damage. Using a new risk calculator, researchers estimated that 40 percent of people in the US taking statins to prevent heart disease won't actually develop the condition. That figure adds up about 17million Americans, including 4million currently taking statins, who would no longer need to take the pills. If the findings translate into new recommendations and policy, it could be hugely consequential. As one of America's most popular drugs, statins, represent a $15billion industry, which is expected to grow to $22billion by 2032. And for patients, the pills have been linked to a host of nasty side effects such as headaches, muscle pain, liver damage, issues with blood clotting. However, experts are warning patients not to suddenly stop taking statins, which can lead to 'dangerous' side effects like heart attack and stroke. Dr Chiadi Ndumele, chair of one of the American Heart Association's (AHA) scientific advisory groups, said that while no new guidelines have been implemented, 'analyses are underway.' 'Guidelines will have to consider whether and how to update recommendations to include PREVENT risk thresholds to guide clinical decision making,' he told STAT News. Statins work by limiting the production of 'bad cholesterol' — low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol — which can harden and narrow the arteries, and increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. They are usually taken in the form of daily pills and cost as little as $40 a year for patients. Because they are so cheap to make, statins like atorvastatin (Lipitor) have become some of the most popular drugs in America. Current AHA and American College of Cardiology guidelines state that adults with a 10-year risk of at least 7.5 percent for developing heart disease are advised to take a statin. At a five percent risk, the guidelines suggest the patient and their doctor should consider it. Their risk is based on factors like BMI, cholesterol, smoking status, and diabetes. But in November, the AHA unveiled a new risk calculator called PREVENT, which estimates a patient's 10- and 30-year risk of developing heart disease based on heart, kidney, and metabolic health. PREVENT (predicting risk of cardiovascular disease events) is a calculator used to evaluate the risk of heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, and heart failure. It asks patients for their sex, age, and risk factors such as cholesterol, blood pressure, BMI, diabetes, and smoking. |
| Posted by:Skidmark |
| #5 Is this the month where Chinese food is the most unhealthy or is it Italian this month (According to the Busybody Nanny Public Research Group)? |
| Posted by: M. Murcek 2024-06-12 13:33 |
| #4 Another flip back in the "you need to take statins / statins are dangerous" catfight. Just a couple of days ago we had one about the mainfold blessings they give. They don't care if you take them, they just want you to buy them. I myself took them for awhile, and found that they made me feel funny, disconnected. So I stopped. Changed doctors recently, and the new one hasn't even suggested them. |
| Posted by: ed in texas 2024-06-12 13:28 |
| #3 Don't be a fear-monger, Procop! Everyone knows a dose of C2H6O taken prophylactically will neutralize the poison. |
| Posted by: Mercutio 2024-06-12 08:36 |
| #2 Journalist express clearly? Think of all the people consuming dihydrogen oxide and the danger it presents. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2024-06-12 07:37 |
| #1 researchers estimated that 40 percent of people in the US taking statins to prevent heart disease won't actually develop the condition. Proving that the medicine works? Or, simply, inability to express yourself clearly by jarnolists? |
| Posted by: Grom the Reflective 2024-06-12 01:15 |