Statins gain wonder status

[Listener]

"Statins, designed to reduce the risk of heart disease by
lowering cholesterol, are starting to look like wonder drugs
able to ward off everything but old age and taxes.

While cholesterol-lowering drugs have many benefits,
they also have side effects that don't recommend them to
every patient.

New studies find that the drugs lower the risk of stroke and
heart attacks in people at high risk for heart disease, such
as diabetics, but whose cholesterol levels may be normal or
even low. And some new preliminary research suggests that
statins may help prevent a range of other ills, including
Alzheimer's, glaucoma and macular degeneration, as well as
breast, colon and prostate cancer.

Should statins be in every medicine cabinet?

No, doctors say. Statins, like all drugs, can pose dangers
to some people, and they're more effective in some people
than in others. But the drugs do appear to have health
benefits beyond their original target, and that's prompting
a shift in thinking about how they should be used."

...more about JUPITER and OTC sales of statins.

Full article:

http://www.usatoday.com/life/lifestyle/2004-06-28-
statins_x.htm

L.

[Brian Sandle]

listener <listener@nospam.net> wrote:
> "Statins, designed to reduce the risk of heart disease by
> lowering cholesterol, are starting to look like wonder
> drugs able to ward off everything but old age and taxes.
>
> While cholesterol-lowering drugs have many benefits, they
> also have side effects that don't recommend them to every
> patient.

> New studies find that the drugs lower the risk of stroke
> and heart attacks in people at high risk for heart
> disease, such as diabetics, but whose cholesterol levels
> may be normal or even low.

I read that they may work by neing ant-inflammatory.

The level of cholesterol is not so bad if the HDL or LDL
particles are large - not so dense. Then maybe they do not
difuse into artery walls so much.

Size is now starting to be measured by gel
electrophoresis, but I understand it may also can be
inferred from triglycerides, or Apo B to LDL ratio. I am
just waiting for results.

And some new
> preliminary research suggests that statins may help
> prevent a range of other ills, including Alzheimer's,

or increase dementia.

glaucoma and macular degeneration,
> as well as breast, colon and prostate cancer.

Or increase cancer as the body produces the anti-cancer
vitamin D from cholesterol and sunlight.

> Should statins be in every medicine cabinet?

> No, doctors say. Statins, like all drugs, can pose dangers
> to some people, and they're more effective in some people
> than in others.

Which do you say?

But
> the drugs do appear to have health benefits beyond their
> original target, and that's prompting a shift in thinking
> about how they should be used."

Take a look at why they help certain people at what
functional costs, before going out trial and error on
everybody with your sort of feasibilty perception creation.

> ...more about JUPITER and OTC sales of statins.

> Full article:

> http://www.usatoday.com/life/lifestyle/2004-06-28-
> statins_x.htm

> L.