Use Of Cholesterol Drugs By Patients Without High Cholesterol Level

Use Of Cholesterol Drugs By Patients Without High Cholesterol Level.
When the US Food and Drug Administration in February 2010 approved the use of the cholesterol-lowering statin cure-all Crestor for some bourgeoisie with routine cholesterol levels, cardiologist Dr Steven E Nissen cheered the decision. "You have to go with the orderly evidence," said Nissen, who is chairman of cardiovascular panacea at the Cleveland Clinic. "A clinical trial was done and there was a substantial reduction in morbidity and mortality in clan treated with this drug".

But Dr Mark A Hlatky, a professor of vigour research and policy and medicine at Stanford University, has expressed doubts about the FDA move. He worries that more kinfolk will rely on a pill rather than diet and exercise to cut their heart risk, and also points to studies linking statins such as Crestor to muscle troubles and even diabetes. "I haven't seen anything that changes my will about that".

So, will millions of wholesome Americans soon join the millions of less-than-healthy common man who already take these blockbuster drugs? The FDA's Feb 9 approval of expanded use of rosuvastatin (Crestor) was based on results of the JUPITER study, which confused more than 18000 people and was financed by the drug's maker, AstraZeneca. People in the side who took the drug for an average of 1,9 years had a 44 percent discount risk of heart attack, stroke and other cardiovascular problems compared to those who took a placebo - results so excellent that the trial was cut short. Based on JUPITER, an FDA monitory committee voted 12 to 4 in December to approve widened use of the drug.

The populate in the trial included men over 50 and women over 60 with normal or near-normal cholesterol levels. However, these individuals did have loaded levels of C-reactive protein, a marker of inflammation that has also been linked to cardiovascular problems. They also had at least one other consideration risk factor, such as obesity or high blood pressure.

For that determined group, Crestor makes sense. "Over a five-year period of time, you obviate one death or minor stroke for every 25 people treated". Whether or not others with normal cholesterol should bear Crestor or another statin remains unclear. "Not everyone with normal cholesterol should be treated. You should give it to ladies and gentlemen with a high enough risk".