Health & Wellness Issues

New Push for Statin Drugs in UK as GPs are Asked to Dole Out Drugs for Millions More

(NaturalNews) The British government is urging doctors to increase the prescription of cholesterol-lowing statin drugs by an estimated 1.5 million, in a new initiative billed as a way to reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes among high-risk patients.

Several months ago, the government encouraged that all people between the ages of 40 and 74 be screened for cardiovascular disease. Following up on that recommendation, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has urged that all those identified as "high risk" be prescribed statins, whether they have high cholesterol or not. 

This "high risk" population would not be identified by physical tests, but by a computer program that would calculate risk factors such as age, ethnicity, sex, blood pressure, cholesterol levels and smoking habits. Those identified as high risk by their doctors would be invited in for a personalized medical screening. They would be offered advice on how to live a healthier lifestyle, and a prescription for simvastatin.

I wonder if this advice covers diet and the risks involved in taking statins.  Once again, doctors are being nudged down the path of becoming legalized drug pushers. (my comment).  

The British Heart Foundation has warned that dosing large numbers of people with drugs will not necessarily provide the best care for each individual. The foundation's medical director, Pete Weissberg, criticized NICE for advising drugs in the absence of continued healthmonitoring to make sure that they respond well to the treatment.

"This 'fire and forget' approach is likely to result in many patients being inadequately treated," he said.
Sources for this story include: news.bbc.co.uk.

Essential Reading: the Statin Scam Marches On

Researchers Detail Statin Drug Dangers

(NaturalNews) With familiar and widely-advertised names like Levacor, Zocor, Pravachol, Lipitor, and Crestor, statin drugs have become some of the most widely prescribed drugs in the world. In fact, the medications (technically a class of drugs called HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors) have been so hyped as a pill-popping easy way to quickly lower soaring cholesterol levels, some doctors have advocated they should be sold over-the-counter like aspirin. Others want children as young as two to be on these drugs that block an enzyme in the liver responsible for making cholesterol.

But many physicians and scientists -- as well as countless patients who have experienced side effects from statins ranging from some that are merely annoying to others that are devastatingly painful -- have urged caution and pointed to a host of potential dangers from the drugs. Now scientists from the University of California (UC) San Diego School of Medicine have published a review paper of nearly 900 research studies on statins to see just what the facts are. The verdict? The drugs may predispose many people to serious muscle and kidney problems, potentially deadly heart arrhythmias and a host of other health problems.

"Muscle problems are the best known of statin drugs' adverse side effects," Dr. Golomb said in a media statement. "But cognitive problems and peripheral neuropathy, or pain or numbness in the extremities like fingers and toes, are also widely reported." In addition, the paper discusses other negative health effects from the drugs, including irregular heartbeats, elevated blood glucose, and tendon problems.

"Physician awareness of such side effects is reportedly low. Being vigilant for adverse effects in their patients is necessary in order for doctors to provide informed treatment decisions and improved patient care," Dr. Golomb stated.

Original Article can be Read Here

Also, read the Statin Scam Marches On

7 Conditions That Don’t Need Pills

In the April 2008 issue of the Harvard Health Letter, researchers explained how in many cases, the non-pharmacological approach can accomplish as much, or more, than pills.

In more recent years, a growing body of studies are showing that simple lifestyle changes such as diet and exercise are effective remedies for many ills.

These seven common conditions can be managed without medication:

Arthritis
Cholesterol
Cognitive decline
Depression
Diabetes
High blood pressure
Osteoporosis

Sources: Live Science March 25, 2008

According to Dr Mercola, The seven common health conditions mentioned here can indeed be managed without resorting to pharmaceutical drugs, which oftentimes cause serious side effects and deteriorate your health even further.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE

Why Statins are One of the Most Unnecessary Drugs in Medicine

Dr. Mercola's Comments: Statins, which are a class of drugs used to lower your cholesterol, are among the most commonly prescribed medications in the world, and I believe, one of the most unnecessary drugs there is.

With at least 12 million Americans taking statins, and experts' recommendations that another 23 million “should” be taking them, it's important to remain educated on this issue. Especially since statin drugs are linked to many, many dangerous side effects.

Are the Benefits Worth the Risks?

There are several different statin drugs currently available on the U.S. market. If you, or anyone you love takes any of these drugs, I highly recommend you review their prescribing information by clicking on the drug brand below. These “package inserts” will also tell you some (but surely not all) of the most common side effects associated with them.

CLICK HERE to read the rest of the article including side effects of the drug brands mentioned

Statin drugs expose patients to dangerous, debilitating side effects

Millions of Americans take statin drugs to help lower their cholesterol, making it one of the most popular classes of prescription drugs on the market today, but like most prescription medications, these drugs are often unnecessary, as most Americans could lower their LDL (bad) cholesterol levels simply by changing their diet and lifestyle. However, we live in a world where people are looking for a quick fix, and doctors are eager to recommend "magic pills" to patients with any and all health concerns. The problem with these so-called "magic pills" is that they often end up doing more harm than good. Such is the case with Lipitor, the most popular of the five statin drugs available today.

In 2001, patients filled more than 57 million prescriptions for Lipitor, a drug that promises to reduce high levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol while increasing levels of HDL (good) cholesterol. Proponents of Lipitor and other statin drugs claim that they, in addition to normalizing cholesterol levels, can reduce inflammation and reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke and heart-related deaths in general. What doctors and pharmacists are less likely to explain in full to patients, however, are the potential side effects of drugs like Lipitor -- side effects that can outweigh any potential good the drugs might purport to do.

Undoubtedly, the huge number of prescriptions filled for Lipitor and other statin drugs in recent years correlates with the numerous direct-to-consumer advertisements screaming the benefits of these drugs over television and radio airwaves. But what about the list of possible side effects rattled off at the end of these ads -- usually at an auctioneer's pace or in a lulling, comforting voice that makes them sound insignificant compared to the drug's power to improve your health? As it turns out, the side effects mentioned by the ads' unseen spokesperson are just the tip of the iceberg.

CLICK HERE to read the rest of the article.

Pharmanex's Cholestin Information Download cholestin.pdf

Treating high cholesterol? Statin drugs can cause devastating side effects

Should we be concerned about Statins? I think so.

Statin drugs, which promise to reduce the levels of bad (LDL) cholesterol in the body while improving the levels of good (HDL) cholesterol, are the fastest-growing class of prescription drugs in the world, but increasing evidence shows they may not be safe, and Canadian health officials are warning that statins can cause serious muscle damage.

Health Canada is now requiring manufacturers of statin drugs such as Lipitor, Zocor, Pravachol, Mevacor and Crestor to include warnings and information about the potential for muscle damage on patient safety information sheets, according to the Toronto Star.

General muscle pain is a side effect frequently experienced by patients on statin drugs. The drugs may also lead to a potentially fatal muscle-wasting disease called rhabdomyolysis in patients with certain pre-existing medical conditions. In this potentially deadly disease, muscle cells are destroyed and released into the bloodstream and can cause patients to suffer kidney failure.

CLICK HERE for other articles on the dangers of statins.

A more natural approach: Red Yeast Rice

Pharmanex's Cholestin Information Download cholestin.pdf

Red yeast rice clinically shown to reduce cholesterol levels just as well as statin drugs

(NewsTarget) Eating Chinese red yeast rice (RYR) may lower cholesterol levels as effectively as statin drugs, but without the negative side effects often associated with long-term statin use, according to new Chinese and Norwegian research.

Researchers from the University of Tromso in Norway, Shanghai University of Traditional Medicine and Beijing University of Chinese Medicine conducted a meta-analysis (review of previously conducted research) of 93 randomized trials that tested the effectiveness of three different RYR preparations -- Cholestin, Xuezhikang and Zhibituo -- on blood cholesterol levels.

Cholestin is a brand name RYR supplement produced by United States-based Pharmanex, while Xuezhikang is produced by mixing rice and red yeast with alcohol, then processing it to remove the majority of the rice gluten.

The researchers assessed the studies' results for effectiveness in treating hyperlipidemia, a condition in which patients have abnormally high concentrations of lipids (fats) in the blood. They found that all three RYR preparations -- Cholestin, Xuezhikang and Zhibituo -- significantly reduced total blood cholesterol levels in patients, as well as triglyceride levels and LDL cholesterol levels, while boosting levels of "healthy" HDL cholesterol, compared to placebo.

Red yeast rice has been used for over 1,000 years in China to improve circulation and treat indigestion and diarrhea. It is made from rice fermented by a red yeast known as Monascus purpureus and is frequently used as a food preservative and food color, as well as a spice and a component of rice wine.

According to natural health advocate Mike Adams, author of "The Five Habits of Health Transformation," red yeast rice contains a wide variety of supportive compounds that aren't found in the isolated chemical sold as a drug, and the scientific community believes multiple compounds work better in concert than isolated chemicals.

"Pharmaceutical companies actually synthesized statin drugs by discovering and altering a molecule found in red yeast rice," Adams said. "But red yeast rice does not cause the dangerous side effects of statin drugs, nor does it require a high-priced prescription. It's safer, more natural and works better."

Pharmanex's Cholestin Information Download cholestin.pdf

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