Why Have I Been Offered Statins
Having a high level of LDL cholesterol is potentially dangerous, as it can lead to a hardening and narrowing of the arteries and cardiovascular disease .
CVD is a general term that describes a disease of the heart or blood vessels. It’s the most common cause of death in the UK.
The main types of CVD are:
- coronary heart disease when the blood supply to the heart becomes restricted
- angina chest pain caused by reduced blood flow to the heart muscles
- heart attacks when the supply of blood to the heart is suddenly blocked
- stroke when the supply of blood to the brain becomes blocked
A doctor may recommend taking statins if either:
- you have been diagnosed with a form of CVD
- your personal and family medical history suggests you’re likely to develop CVD at some point over the next 10 years and lifestyle measures have not reduced this risk
Find out more about when statins may be recommended.
Myth #: Statins Frequently Cause Memory Loss
Truth: In 2012, the FDA changed statin drug labels to include information that some people had experienced memory loss and confusion while taking the medications.
Unfortunately, that change was based on some poor-quality studies and evidence, Martin explains. People became seriously concerned that lower cholesterol levels could affect the brains function. But in fact, the brain makes its own cholesterol. It doesnt depend on the cholesterol in the blood.
My colleagues and I at Johns Hopkins specifically researched the issue of statins impacting cognitive dysfunction or dementia, says Martin. We reviewed all the studies that had been done, and found that the most rigorous studies show that statins do not commonly cause memory loss. If anything, long-term use of statins might have a beneficial effect on the brain since they help prevent strokes and protect the health of arteries in the brain.
Ways To Improve Your Heart Health Naturally
The person who takes medicine for disease must recover twice, once from the disease, and once from the medicine. ~Sir William Osler
Here are some effective ways you can improve your heart health naturally.
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Dangers Of Statin Drugs: What You Havent Been Told About Popular Cholesterol
Hypercholesterolemia is the health issue of the 21st century. It is actually an invented disease, a problem that emerged when health professionals learned how to measure cholesterol levels in the blood. High cholesterol exhibits no outward signsunlike other conditions of the blood, such as diabetes or anemia, diseases that manifest telltale symptoms like thirst or weaknesshypercholesterolemia requires the services of a physician to detect its presence. Many people who feel perfectly healthy suffer from high cholesterolin fact, feeling good is actually a symptom of high cholesterol!
Doctors who treat this new disease must first convince their patients that they are sick and need to take one or more expensive drugs for the rest of their lives, drugs that require regular checkups and blood tests. But such doctors do not work in a vacuumtheir efforts to convert healthy people into patients are bolstered by the full weight of the US government, the media and the medical establishment, agencies that have worked in concert to disseminate the cholesterol dogma and convince the population that high cholesterol is the forerunner of heart disease and possibly other diseases as well.
The drugs that doctors use to treat the new disease are called statinssold under a variety of names including Lipitor , Zocor , Mevacor and Pravachol .
Qunol Ultra Coq10 100mg
These soft gels contain the perfect amount of CoQ10, which can lower your LDL cholesterol levels. They are 100% water and fat-soluble, allowing your body to use the contents of these pills faster.
These may be particularly useful for statin drug users, as some studies have shown particularly good results when this supplement is paired with that particular drug.
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Bile Acid Binding Resins
For example, the FDA has approved a class of drugs known as bile acid binding resins, which were the first cholesterol drugs before statins. Studies in the 1980s showed that these medications lower heart disease risk. One reason they arent often prescribed is that patients have to take a lot of them compared to statins. Bile acid binding resins come in powder form or require taking up to six pills a day. Also, they can cause gastrointestinal side effects.Weve known since the 1990s that statins benefit patients at high risk for stroke and heart disease. Today, several investigators are researching which complementary medications can be prescribed on top of statins to make them even more beneficial and protective.One of these is a drug called Ezetimibe, which on its own provides a modest reduction in cholesterol. Its also been shown recently to lower heart attack and stroke risk when taken in addition to a statin.
Statins Are Not For Everyone
Statins are a class of cholesterol-lowering drugs that target all aspects of your lipid profile. They can successfully lower LDL cholesterol and triglycerides while raising HDL cholesterol.
Although they are very effective in lowering cholesterol levels, statins may not be for everyone. There are some things you should let your healthcare professional know before you begin statin therapy.
This includes any medical conditions you may have or any medications you are taking. Medications are not limited to those prescribed to you by another healthcare provider but include over-the-counter and dietary or herbal supplements as well.
Additionally, if you receive medical treatment from someone other than your healthcare professional, you should let that person know that you are taking a statin.
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Cholesterol Medications Are Dangerous
Statin drugs like Crestor, Lipitor and Zocor are prescribed by the millions. They lower cholesterol numbers but do very little to lower risk. In my opinion, statin drugs lead to a false sense of security in people. Many patients think they can eat junk food and lead an unhealthy lifestyle while the statin drugs save them .
They are wrong and being misled by doctors and Pharma alike. In my own practice, Wolfson Integrative Cardiology in Paradise Valley, Arizona, I get people off the drugs.
Strange times are these in which we live when old and young are taught falsehoods in school. And the person who dares to tell the truth is called a lunatic and fool. ~Plato
The truth is that cholesterol drugs have side effects. After all, if you reduce the production of the molecule that leads to so many benefits, you are bound to have problems.
Statins are notorious for causing muscle and liver damage. In fact, books have been written about statin drugs causing brain issues. I have seen this in my patients and personally, I think statin drugs led to the death of my father.
What Are Cholesterol Medications With Least Side Effects
When it comes to lowering cholesterol with medical intervention, there is a chance for this option to cause some side effects. But if you are looking for cholesterol medications with least side effects, lifestyle approaches and heart-healthy diet are the best answer you should prioritize. These approaches are not only good in helping to lower your LDL but also great ones for your entire health in long term.
Unfortunately, sometimes lifestyle approaches are not enough to help deal with. In such case, medical intervention is required.
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Man Reveals How Fast Lateral Flow Tests Turn Positive As Omicron Spreads
It works by boosting the livers ability to remove harmful cholesterol.
Prof Ray explained: “Statins and inclisiran are complimentary statins make more cholesterol receptors, and inclisiran, by stopping the production of a protein called PCSK9, makes these receptors last or survive longer.
“This means the two treatments reduce LDL-C by about 75-80 per cent when compared to no treatment.
“Twice-a-year dosing will safely provide an average annualised reduction in population level LDL-C of approximately 50 per cent.
“Lowering population level LDL-C from 2.6 to about 1.3 would reduce cardiovascular events by about 30 per cent, and bring 10-year risk down from 29 per cent to around 20 per cent.”
Increasing Safety Of Statins
Statins may be classified into 3 categories based on their increasing potency and efficacy in lowering plasma low-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentration. The first generation statins included lovastatin, pravastatin, and fluvastatin simvastatin and atorvastatin among second generation and rosuvastatin and pitavastatin among third generation statins.
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How Should Crestor Be Taken
- Take Crestor exactly as your doctor tells you to take it.
- Take Crestor, by mouth, 1 time each day. Swallow the tablet whole.
- Crestor can be taken at any time of day, with or without food.
- Do not change your dose or stop Crestor without talking to your doctor, even if you are feeling well.
- Your doctor may do blood tests to check your cholesterol levels before and during your treatment with Crestor. Your doctor may change your dose of Crestor if needed.
- Your doctor may start you on a cholesterol lowering diet before giving you Crestor. Stay on this diet when you take Crestor.
- Wait at least 2 hours after taking Crestor to take an antacid that contains a combination of aluminum and magnesium hydroxide.
- If you miss a dose of Crestor, take it as soon as you remember. However, do not take 2 doses of Crestor within 12 hours of each other.
- If you take too much Crestor or overdose, call your doctor or go to the nearest hospital emergency room right away.
Focus On Your Overall Risk
Though blood pressure and cholesterol levels are important, other factors play a role, tooincluding your age, gender, race, and whether you smoke or have diabetes.
Everyone 40 and over should know their overall risk of having a heart attack or stroke, says Marvin M. Lipman, M.D., Consumer Reports chief medical adviser.
So he and other experts recommend estimating your 10-year risk by using a calculator developed by the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association, at tools.acc.org/ASCVD-Risk-Estimator. The ideal is a 10-year risk thats less than 7.5 percent.
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Cholesterol Levels In Dialysis Patients
In a study of dialysis patients, those with higher cholesterol levels had lower mortality than those with low cholesterol.51 Yet the authors claimed that the inverse association of total cholesterol level with mortality in dialysis patients is likely due to the cholesterol-lowering effect of systemic inflammation and malnutrition, not to a protective effect of high cholesterol concentrations. Keeping an eye on further funding opportunities, the authors concluded: These findings support treatment of hypercholesterolemia in this population.
Myth #: Taking Statin Drugs Leads To Diabetes Out Of The Blue
Truth: In clinical trials, statins appear to accelerate a diagnosis of adult-onset diabetes because they cause a slight elevation in blood sugar. However, people experiencing this side effect already have higher than normal blood sugar, or prediabetes, explains Martin. For those who are borderline diabetic, the mild increase in blood sugar can lead to a diabetes diagnosis about five weeks earlier than it would be otherwise.
Research indicates that statin drugs do not induce diabetes in someone who isnt already nearing a diabetes diagnosis. Additionally, the benefits of reducing cardiac events in someone who has prediabetes or is diabetic greatly outweigh the mild increase that might occur in their blood sugar, says Martin.
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Common Statin Side Effects
The most common side effects of statins include:
- Headache
More severe but rare side effects of statins include:
- Severe muscle pain
- Rhabdomyolysis, or muscle breakdown
- Serious liver problems
Although rare, statins can cause a condition called rhabdomyolysis. Rhabdomyolysis results in life-threatening muscle damage. The breakdown of muscle tissue can lead to the release of a certain protein called myoglobin into the bloodstream, which can damage the kidneys. Symptoms of rhabdomyolysis include severe muscle pain, liver damage, and kidney failure.
The use of statins, especially in high doses, has also been associated with memory loss. However, this side effect is rare, and it is reversible after discontinuation of therapy. On the other hand, some studies have shown that statins are protective against dementia and Alzheimers disease.
Serious side effects associated with statins are often rare and associated with high doses. This list of side effects is not comprehensive. Speaking with a healthcare professional is the best way to get a complete list of side effects in order to determine whether taking a stain is suitable for you. If you experience side effects with a certain statin, your doctor may recommend a different statin.
Tell your doctor if you have a history of any of the following before taking a statin:
About Jack Wolfson Do Facc
Dr. Jack Wolfson is a board-certified cardiologist, in Paradise Valley, Arizona, who grew tired of patients failing to truly get well using pharmaceuticals and procedures. As a result, he opened Wolfson Integrative Cardiology where he now uses in-depth testing and targeted nutrition to prevent and treat cardiovascular disease. He treats the whole person, getting to the cause of the issue, instead of treating only the symptoms. Dr. Wolfson offers practical solutions for heart health in person at his office in Paradise Valley, Arizona.
I appreciate every share! Thank you.
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Keeping Cholesterol In Check
People with high cholesterol are at a higher risk for heart disease. Some have a genetic predisposition to high cholesterol and heart disease, even if they do not have other related risk factors. These individuals may never be able to get their cholesterol to a healthy level without medication, even with a low-fat diet and regular physical activity. Once the medication is stopped, cholesterol may return to unhealthy levels, raising the risk of developing coronary heart disease.
Common And Serious Side Effects
In some people, Lipitor may cause mild side effects such as diarrhea, upset stomach, and muscle and joint pain. Though rare, people have also reported memory loss, forgetfulness, amnesia and confusion associated with statin use.
Serious Lipitor side effects include muscle disease called myopathy and muscle breakdown called rhabdomyolysis, which can lead to kidney damage and kidney failure. The risk of these complications rises when patients take atorvastatin at the same time as certain antibiotics, antivirals and antifungals.
The medication can also cause liver problems, including fatal and non-fatal liver failure. Signs of liver trouble may include: feeling tired or weak losing your appetite experiencing belly pain on the right side of your upper abdomen and developing yellowish skin and eyes.
Studies also link atorvastatin use to an increased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. Thousands of people filed lawsuits against Pfizer alleging Lipitor caused their Type 2 diabetes. The Lipitor lawsuits claimed Pfizer knew about the risks but didnt adequately warn patients and doctors.
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Many of these complications can occur with all statins, which raises serious safety concerns about the drug class as a whole.
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Cholesterol Drugs Safe Or Not
Despite concerns about popular cholesterol-lowering “statin” drugs, a new study shows that most of these drugs have a low risk of a serious muscle disorder.
The study was released early in response to controversial statements from an FDA scientist last week. That scientist, David J. Graham, MD, MPH, is also the lead researcher of the new study.
Last Thursday, Graham spoke to Congress about drug safety and the problems with the arthritis drug Vioxx, which was removed from the shelves in October due to concerns it increases the risk of heart attacks and strokes. At that hearing, he also implicated five other drugs as having safety concerns.
One of those drugs was the cholesterol-lowering drug Crestor, a member of the class of drugs called statins. Graham tells WebMD that the new study was started before Crestor became available in August 2003 and, therefore, he did not look at that statin drug.
Graham’s study looked at the risk of a potentially serious muscle disorder called rhabdomyolysis among patients taking a statin drug either Baycol, Lipitor, Pravachol, or Zocor. Baycol was removed from the market in 2001 in the wake of reports that it had led to rhabdomyolysis and death in 31 people.
Rhabdomyolysis occurs when muscle tissue breaks down, releasing high levels of chemicals in the bloodstream that can cause kidney failure.
Statin Drug Risk “Similar And Low”
What About Crestor?
In June, the FDA advised doctors to be careful about how they prescribe Crestor.
When To Get Your Cholesterol Checked
If you have high cholesterol – then you might not even know as there are no common signs or symptoms.
Dr Richard Francis, Head of Research, Stroke Association explained: “High cholesterol has no noticeable symptoms and often remains untreated, which is why you should get your cholesterol levels checked.
“This is especially important if you are over 40 or have a history of heart disease or high cholesterol, are overweight, or have high blood pressure or diabetes.
“Your GP or pharmacist can check your cholesterol level with a simple blood test.
How you can reduce your cholesterol levels
Cheryl Lythgoe, Matron at Benenden Health explained how you can reduce cholesterol.
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