Fewer people may need statins to prevent heart disease, new study suggests

[TBoneTX 45,248]

I, for one, will never stop taking 'em -- or daily aspirin.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fewer people may need statins to prevent heart disease, new study suggests

 

A new way of determining heart disease risk may result in millions fewer people getting prescriptions for statins, according to new research.  Heart doctors warned, however, that more information is needed and patients shouldn’t stop taking their medications.  [...]

 

https://www.yahoo.com/news/fewer-people-may-statins-prevent-000320493.html

[milimelo 4,475]

I for one, will never start taking them.

That has always been such a scam - lowering the cutoff numbers for cholesterol so they can sell more, without taking into consideration the status of the person in front of you - no way. Same for the blood pressure - more meds needed to be sold - bring down the numbers so you can get more people on them.  No one ever mentioning nutrition, fitness, losing weight, - staying away from HFCS laden drinks, sugar in everything (in bread, really?), portion control. 

 

 

[TBoneTX 45,248]

That's a reasonable position, too, M ma'am.

 

Some people have disastrous family medical histories or metabolic issues and can benefit from statins.  However, if lipids and blood pressure can be controlled by means of the methods that you mention, those methods are preferable.

[Dashinka 24,479]

13 hours ago, milimelo said:

I for one, will never start taking them.

That has always been such a scam - lowering the cutoff numbers for cholesterol so they can sell more, without taking into consideration the status of the person in front of you - no way. Same for the blood pressure - more meds needed to be sold - bring down the numbers so you can get more people on them.  No one ever mentioning nutrition, fitness, losing weight, - staying away from HFCS laden drinks, sugar in everything (in bread, really?), portion control. 

 

 

I actually had a Dr. suggest putting me on them, and my cholesterol level is always low (it actually triggers "out-of-range" low when I have blood tests).  Apparently there are other uses being explored, but I refused. 

[milimelo 4,475]

1 hour ago, Dashinka said:

I actually had a Dr. suggest putting me on them, and my cholesterol level is always low (it actually triggers "out-of-range" low when I have blood tests).  Apparently there are other uses being explored, but I refused. 

I find the doctor in this substack very informative on all things, this one is about statins: https://www.midwesterndoctor.com/p/what-can-statins-teach-us-about-the

 

Wish we had normal not pharma think with other doctors... 

[W199 331]

15 hours ago, Dashinka said:

I actually had a Dr. suggest putting me on them, and my cholesterol level is always low (it actually triggers "out-of-range" low when I have blood tests).  Apparently there are other uses being explored, but I refused. 

The doctors are supposed to assess your total risk, which includes a lot more factors than just your lipid numbers. The total risk needs to add up to a particular level to justify the Statin.  But Statins have proved beyond a doubt to reduce heart events. But don't get me wrong, no one really knows exactly what causes atherosclerosis. Anyone who says they know, doesn't know what they are talking about. It is being studied in intimate details by biologists, and they have a long ways to go.

 

As far as "total risk" goes, my lipids where very bad ... But my doctor gave me carotid artery ultrascound scan to check if there is any plaque build-up. Studies have shown it correlates to heart artery build-up). They also gave me a more experimental CT calcium heart test.  Both showed zero issues, zero plaque build-up, etc.. So they decided not to put me on a Statin.

 

Years later, I am on Repatha  now due to the totality of my risk factors. Its working great, my lipid numbers are ideal now, with zero side effects. 

 

In summary, its far more than just the cholesterol level that needs to be assesed to determine if a Statin is right for you. And of course, exercise, weight control, and nutrition should be done first before any meds like this.

 

[TBoneTX 45,248]

17 hours ago, Dashinka said:

"out-of-range" low

A couple of times, I had the same (during statin use), and my doctor muttered, "If you have to be low on something, this is what to be low on."

2 hours ago, W199 said:

its far more than just the cholesterol level that needs to be assesed to determine if a Statin is right for you. And of course, exercise, weight control, and nutrition should be done first before any meds like this.

Absolutely -- you're not treating the lab report; you're treating the patient.

[Dashinka 24,479]

7 hours ago, W199 said:

The doctors are supposed to assess your total risk, which includes a lot more factors than just your lipid numbers. The total risk needs to add up to a particular level to justify the Statin.  But Statins have proved beyond a doubt to reduce heart events. But don't get me wrong, no one really knows exactly what causes atherosclerosis. Anyone who says they know, doesn't know what they are talking about. It is being studied in intimate details by biologists, and they have a long ways to go.

 

As far as "total risk" goes, my lipids where very bad ... But my doctor gave me carotid artery ultrascound scan to check if there is any plaque build-up. Studies have shown it correlates to heart artery build-up). They also gave me a more experimental CT calcium heart test.  Both showed zero issues, zero plaque build-up, etc.. So they decided not to put me on a Statin.

 

Years later, I am on Repatha  now due to the totality of my risk factors. Its working great, my lipid numbers are ideal now, with zero side effects. 

 

In summary, its far more than just the cholesterol level that needs to be assesed to determine if a Statin is right for you. And of course, exercise, weight control, and nutrition should be done first before any meds like this.

 

Except every drug has side effects, and many Drs. Tend to gloss over those.  With all the drug advertising, and the multi-billion dollar drug industry, who knows what to believe.  I took the drug information the Dr. gave me and did my own research, and took in the totality of everything, and I made my choice good bad or otherwise.  In the end, we are all going to end the same way.

[W199 331]

On 6/14/2024 at 5:47 AM, Dashinka said:

Except every drug has side effects, and many Drs. Tend to gloss over those.  With all the drug advertising, and the multi-billion dollar drug industry, who knows what to believe.  I took the drug information the Dr. gave me and did my own research, and took in the totality of everything, and I made my choice good bad or otherwise.  In the end, we are all going to end the same way.

If you are worried about the side effects of these drugs then you must listen to this podcast from this professor of cell biology (and maybe his other podcasts). After listening to it, and his other podcasts, you will never want to take any drug again .. Keep in mind he is not a doctor, it is absolutely not medical advice, and this guy will a reason why anything, maybe even breathing will be unhealthy for you, cause obesity, and make you insulin resistant .. so take this with a grain of salt even though he is extremely technical, published in many journals, and very persuasive. Many things are twisted half-truths

 

Listen to the end because he really beats it death with some very interesting data at the end.

 

 

[Dashinka 24,479]

8 hours ago, W199 said:

If you are worried about the side effects of these drugs then you must listen to this podcast from this professor of cell biology (and maybe his other podcasts). After listening to it, and his other podcasts, you will never want to take any drug again .. Keep in mind he is not a doctor, it is absolutely not medical advice, and this guy will a reason why anything, maybe even breathing will be unhealthy for you, cause obesity, and make you insulin resistant .. so take this with a grain of salt even though he is extremely technical, published in many journals, and very persuasive. Many things are twisted half-truths

 

Listen to the end because he really beats it death with some very interesting data at the end.

 

 

I am not anti-medication, but rather anti-overmedication.  I see the value in some medications, and use some now, and in the past.  That being said, I have also seen a lot of pills thrown at patients with what appeared to be little thought.  Back in 2006 I had a surgical procedure, and when being discharged, even though I told them the pain I was feeling was bearable, they handed me some pretty powerful pain-killers.  I disposed of those properly when I got home.  My point with the statins is why are they being handed out like Pezz.  You mentioned Drs. are supposed to give informed recommendations based on the totality of the person.  I would say good Drs. do that, but others may have alternate reasons for over-medicating people.  I like my main Dr., she is not drug happy, was not trying to force Covid vaccines into my arm, and actually talks to me about potential conditions.  The Dr. pushing statins on me was a specialty Dr. who spent less than 5 minutes with me, looked at some blood work, and then suggested statins.  This was after the numbers that sent me to this specialist had shown steady improvement without drug.  Why were drugs suggested now?  It left me a bit miffed, but sure, this guy is a Dr., and he has knowledge I don't, but that doesn't mean he cannot be questioned.

[Ontarkie 14,215]

There are so many articles/youtube videos out there about the truth about statins and cholesterol. We have been sold a pile of lies, even the actual research from the studies show the truth but the makers of these drugs are allowed to fudge the lines. Most doctors do not know the slightest bit about the medication they put you on. They just do as they are told. Look up  I Fix Hearts -Dr. Ovadia on YouTube. He is one of many who discovered through they're own health problems what is wrong with our medical system. 

 

The Hillbilly was on statins, all it did was make him a type 2 diabetic, caused fatty liver disease. His blood sugar just kept climbing and climbing. I stubbled across some of these videos and read the research. Convinced the Hillbilly to stop taking the statins, his blood sugar started dropping. It wasn't until I convinced him to watch some Dr Ken Berry's videos about type 2 diabetes that he joined me on the carnivore diet. He is no longer T2D, no longer has fatty liver disease and his sleep apnea has improved so much he went from stopping breathing 86 times a minute to 2 times a minute. 

 

Ok I can go on and on but I will stop. 

Edited June 22 by Ontarkie