SoylentNews is people
SoylentNews
Submitted via IRC for SoyCow1984
Statin therapy reduces risk of major cardiovascular events irrespective of age
Statin therapy reduces major vascular events, and a new meta-analysis shows this is the case even in patients over 75 years of age. The research summarizes evidence from 28 randomized controlled trials, including 186,854 patients, 14,483 of whom were aged over 75.
A meta-analysis finds that despite less evidence in the over 75s than in younger patients, statins reduce the risk of vascular events in older people. The research found no adverse effects of statin therapy on non-vascular mortality or cancer. Statin therapy reduces major vascular events, and a new meta-analysis shows this is the case even in patients over 75 years of age. The research, published in The Lancet, summarises evidence from 28 randomised controlled trials, including 186,854 patients, 14,483 of whom were aged over 75.
Irrespective of age, statins reduced risks of major vascular events by about a fifth per 1 mmol/L reduction in LDL cholesterol. For major coronary events the overall reduction was about a quarter per 1 mmol/L reduction overall, but ranged from about 30% in those aged 75. The relative risk reductions for stroke and for coronary revascularisation (coronary stenting or bypass surgery) were similar in all age groups.
Dr Jordan Fulcher of the Cholesterol Treatment Trialists' (CTT) Collaboration, who is based at the University of Sydney NHMRC Clinical Trials Centre, Australia, says: "Statins are a useful and affordable drug that reduce heart attacks and strokes in older patients. Until now there has been an evidence gap and we wanted to look at their efficacy and safety in older people. Our analysis indicates that major cardiovascular events were reduced by about a fifth, per mmol/L lower LDL cholesterol, by statin therapy across all age groups. Despite previous concerns we found no adverse effect on cancer or non-vascular mortality in any age group."
Statins are cholesterol lowering drugs that are widely prescribed to patients at increased risk of heart attacks or strokes. Evidence from randomised trials has shown that statin therapy reduces this risk among a wide range of individuals but there has been uncertainty about their benefits in older people.
(Score: 3, Informative) by TrentDavey on Sunday February 03 2019, @05:30PM (2 children)
Let me just say in advance "Citations Needed" - I'm too lazy.
- to reduce cholesterol, it interrupts the chemical chain reaction that has cholesterol as an end product very far down the chain but that means it also curtails production of other necessary chemicals notably CoEnzyme Q10.
- 25% of the body's cholesterol is used in the brain so with diminished levels of cholesterol go diminished levels of memory function, cognitive ability, emotions etc.
- cholesterol in it self is not bad - it is when it gets wrecked by oxidation and excess sugar that the cardio system goes into inflammation
- statins are the most prescribed drug in the world and therefore make drug companies billion$
- morbidity rates for those in statins stay the same - they just die of non-vascular heart problems
There are many books relating the medical non-mainstream side of statin research such as https://www.womensinternational.com/statin-disaster-dr-david-brownstein/ [womensinternational.com] and others. Just Google "statin truth" and decide for yourself. Caution - this may disturb you if you or someone you know is currently taking statins.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday February 03 2019, @06:50PM (1 child)
it's my opinion that taking statins is worse than not taking statins do to the side effects. just change your diet so that the fat and cholesterol gets burned as fuel instead of piling up and consider taking ginkgo biloba. no need to poison yourself with big pharma death pills.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3648825/ [nih.gov]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday February 04 2019, @01:09PM
I spent about two years (three months at a time) on every diet under the sun, as a 20-something, trying to control my cholesterol without statins. I did lower it with diet but only about 10%. Not nearly enough.
So please, be careful with what you say. Diet does *not* magically fix cholesterol problems for everyone.