cholesterol-lowering criteria

Sun, 04 Jan 2004 23:03:17 GMT in article
<[email hidden]> "searching"

Quoted message said:

What criteria do physicians use in selecting the appropriate cholesterol-lowering medication?

For Pravachol in particular, is it "similar" to other drugs? Or does Pravachol have any unique
characteristics? (i.e. works well with first-time users of cholesterol-lowering medications)

IMHO diet should be the first choice, when trying to lower cholesterol. Only if the diet fails in
that should medication be started. Good tips about how to lower cholesterol with diet can be found
from the study

Jenkins DJ, Kendall CW, Marchie A, Faulkner DA, Wong JM, de Souza R, Emam A, Parker TL, Vidgen E,
Lapsley KG, Trautwein EA, Josse RG, Leiter LA, Connelly PW. Effects of a dietary portfolio of cholesterol-
lowering foods vs lovastatin on serum lipids and C-reactive protein. JAMA. 2003 Jul 23;290(4):502-
10. PMID: 12876093 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE <URL:http://jama.ama-
assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/290/4/502> <URL:http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=ret-
rieve&db=pubmed&list_uids=12876093&dopt=Abstract>

and from the articles which comment this study:

Diet First, Then Medication for Hypercholesterolemia James W. Anderson JAMA. 2003;290:531-533. <URL:http://jama.ama-
assn.org/cgi/content/full/290/4/531>

Vegetarian diet may work as well as cholesterol drugs <URL:http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2003-07-23-
cholesterol_x.htm>

Vegetarian diet nearly equals cholesterol drugs in study
<URL:http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/healthscience/2001211480_cholesterol23.html>

Check out also

Fats and Cholesterol <http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/fats.html> :

and

Laidlaw M, Holub BJ. Effects of supplementation with fish oil-derived n-3 fatty acids and gamma-
linolenic acid on circulating plasma lipids and fatty acid profiles in women. Am J Clin Nutr. 2003
Jan;77(1):37-42. <URL:http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uid-
s=12499320&dopt=Abstract> ( <URL:http://tinyurl.com/23lw6> )

--
Matti Narkia

searching said:

What criteria do physicians use in selecting the appropriate cholesterol-lowering medication?

The lipid profile and goals of therapy.

Quoted message said:

For Pravachol in particular, is it "similar" to other drugs?

Depends on the other drugs you are referring to.

Quoted message said:

Or does Pravachol have any unique characteristics? (i.e. works well with first-time users of cholesterol-
lowering medications)

Yes.

Quoted message said:

Thanks.

You are welcome.

Humbly,

Andrew

--
Dr. Andrew B. Chung, MD/PhD
Board-Certified Cardiologist
heartmdphd.comheartmdphd.comOpen ↗

Quoted message said:

Effects of a dietary portfolio of cholesterol-lowering foods vs

lovastatin

Quoted message said:

on serum lipids and C-reactive protein. JAMA. 2003 Jul 23;290(4):502-10. PMID: 12876093 [PubMed -
indexed for MEDLINE <URL:http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/290/4/502>

<URL:http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=retrieve&db=pubme
d&list_uids=12876093&dopt=Abstract>

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Vegetarian diet may work as well as cholesterol drugs <URL:http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2003-07-23-
cholesterol_x.htm>

Vegetarian diet nearly equals cholesterol drugs in study

<URL:http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/healthscience/2001211480_chol esterol23.html>

'Vegetarian'? Strange, I think original research was comparing low-fat diet to supplementing
certain foods (like almonds and fiber) to diet. Am I missing something ?

Mirek

"Dr. Andrew B. Chung, MD/PhD" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...
| searching wrote:
|
| > What criteria do physicians use in selecting the appropriate cholesterol-lowering medication?
| >
|
| The lipid profile and goals of therapy.
|
| >
| > For Pravachol in particular, is it "similar" to other drugs?
|
| Depends on the other drugs you are referring to.

I don't the "other drugs." The question is, are there OTHER drugs that are similar in
characteristics and function as Pravachol?

|
| > Or does Pravachol have any unique characteristics? (i.e. works well with
first-time
| > users of cholesterol-lowering medications)
| >
|
| Yes.

And what might these unique characteristics be?

|
| >
| > Thanks.
|
| You are welcome.
|
| Humbly,
|
| Andrew
|
| --
| Dr. Andrew B. Chung, MD/PhD Board-Certified Cardiologist heartmdphd.comheartmdphd.comOpen ↗
|

Thanks.

searching said:

"Dr. Andrew B. Chung, MD/PhD" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...
| searching wrote:
|
| > What criteria do physicians use in selecting the appropriate cholesterol-lowering medication?
| >
|
| The lipid profile and goals of therapy.
|
| >
| > For Pravachol in particular, is it "similar" to other drugs?
|
| Depends on the other drugs you are referring to.

I don't the "other drugs." The question is, are there OTHER drugs that are similar in
characteristics and function as Pravachol?

lovastatin, simvastatin, atorvastatin, rosuvastatin... et cetera.

Quoted message said:

|
| > Or does Pravachol have any unique characteristics? (i.e. works well with
first-time
| > users of cholesterol-lowering medications)
| >
|
| Yes.

And what might these unique characteristics be?

Inhibits the HMG-CoA reductase enzyme would be one unique characteristic compared to lipid lowering
medications in other classes.

Humbly,

Andrew

--
Dr. Andrew B. Chung, MD/PhD
Board-Certified Cardiologist
heartmdphd.comheartmdphd.comOpen ↗