Misuse of Statins Can Lead to Avoidable Heart Attacks

[Adam's Apple]

Improper Statin Use May Cause Heart Attacks
Medically Reviewed on December 18, 2006

(HealthCentersOnline) - Patients who are taking statins improperly may be putting themselves at risk for avoidable heart attacks, according to the results of a new study.

Statins are a type of medication used in the treatment of high blood lipids levels, such as cholesterol and triglycerides. Statins block the production of specific enzymes used by the body to make cholesterol.

for full article:
http://www.healthology.com/heart-heath/heart-health/news/article4002.htm

 

[waltky]

Heart rejuvenating hormone discovered...

Rejuvenating Hormone Found to Reverse Symptoms of Heart Failure
May 9, 2013 — Heart failure is one of the most debilitating conditions linked to old age, and there are no specific therapies for the most common form of this condition in the elderly.

A study published by Cell Press May 9th in the journal Cell reveals that a blood hormone known as growth differentiation factor 11 (GDF11) declines with age, and old mice injected with this hormone experience a reversal in signs of cardiac aging. The findings shed light on the underlying causes of age-related heart failure and may offer a much-needed strategy for treating this condition in humans. "There has been evidence that circulating bloodstream factors exist in mammals that can rejuvenate tissues, but they haven't been identified. This study found the first factor like this," says senior study author Richard Lee of the Harvard Stem Cell Institute and Brigham and Women's Hospital.

Heart failure is a condition in which the heart can't pump enough blood to meet the body's needs, causing shortness of breath and fatigue, and it is becoming increasingly prevalent in the elderly. The most common form of age-related heart failure involves thickening of heart muscle tissue. But until now, the molecular causes and potential treatment strategies for this condition have been elusive.

Artist's illustration of human heart in X-ray.

To identify molecules in the blood responsible for age-related heart failure, a team led by Lee and Amy Wagers of the Harvard Stem Cell Institute and Joslin Diabetes Center used a well-established experimental technique: they surgically joined pairs of young and old mice so that their blood circulatory systems merged into one. After being exposed to the blood of young mice, old mice experienced a reversal in the thickening of heart muscle tissue. The researchers then screened the blood for molecules that change with age, discovering that levels of the hormone GDF11 were lower in old mice compared with young mice.

Moreover, old mice treated with GDF11 injections experienced a reversal in signs of cardiac aging. Heart muscle cells became smaller, and the thickness of the heart muscle wall resembled that of young mice. "If some age-related diseases are due to loss of a circulating hormone, then it's possible that restoring levels of that hormone could be beneficial," Wagers says. "We're hoping that some day, age-related human heart failure might be treated this way."

Rejuvenating hormone found to reverse symptoms of heart failure

 

[waltky]

Statins are part of many people's daily routine...

Some statins 'raise diabetes risk'
24 May 2013 - Some drugs taken to protect the heart may increase the risk of developing type-2 diabetes, according to researchers in Canada.

Their study of 1.5 million people, in the British Medical Journal, suggested powerful statins could increase the risk by 22% compared with weaker drugs. Atorvastatin was linked to one extra case of diabetes for every 160 patients treated. Experts said the benefits of statins still outweighed any risks. Statins are a group of commonly prescribed drugs that lower the levels of bad cholesterol in the blood. This reduces the chances of a heart attack or stroke. All drugs come with side-effects, but a team of researchers from hospitals in Toronto said there had been controversy around the risk of diabetes with different statins.

They looked at medical records of 1.5 million people over the age of 66 and compared the incidence of diabetes between people taking different statins. Their report said: "We found that patients treated with atorvastatin, rosuvastatin, or simvastatin were at increased risk of new onset diabetes compared with those treated with pravastatin. "Clinicians should considers this risk when they are contemplating statin treatment for individual patients. "Preferential use of pravastatin... might be warranted."

Benefit

Commenting on the study, Prof Risto Huupponen and Prof Jorma Viikari, from the University of Turku, in Finland, said: "The overall benefit of statins still clearly outweighs the potential risk of diabetes." However, they said, the different statins should be targeted at the right patients. They said: "The most potent statins, at least in higher doses, should preferably be reserved for patients who do not respond to low-potency treatment, but have a high total risk of cardiovascular disease."

Maureen Talbot, from the British Heart Foundation, said: "Statins are taken safely by millions in the UK and protect those at high risk of developing coronary heart disease. "Although this study suggests an increased risk of older people developing diabetes when taking certain statins, other risk factors like being overweight, family history and ethnicity may have played their part. "There are benefits and risks with all medicines so if you're worried, discuss your concerns with your GP."

BBC News - Some statins 'raise diabetes risk'

 

[waltky]

Brits develop new heart attack drug that may reduce tissue damage...

Heart attack drug may reduce tissue damage
27 May 2013 - A new drug that could help reduce damage to the body after a heart attack, stroke or major surgery has been developed by UK scientists.

Tests in mice suggest the compound protects the heart when blood flow is restored suddenly after a period when tissue has been starved of oxygen. MitoSNO has yet to be tested on humans, but could lead to a whole new class of medicines. The research is published in the journal Nature Medicine. One of the problems after a heart attack is the damage caused to heart tissue when blood flow is restored suddenly after a prolonged period without oxygen.

Blood flowing back into the tissues triggers production of harmful molecules, called free radicals, which are generated inside mitochondria - the powerhouses of the cell. The new drug works by temporarily "switching off" the mitochondria for a few minutes to prevent a build-up of free radicals. In the study, researchers tested the compound in a mouse model of heart attack. There were marked reductions in the total area of damaged heart tissue in mice given the drug compared with controls.

The researchers now hope to test their new compound in early human trials. "MitoSNO effectively flicks a switch in the mitochondria, slowing down reactivation during those critical first minutes when blood flow returns and protecting the heart tissue from further damage," said Dr Mike Murphy from the Medical Research Council Mitochondrial Biology Unit, who led the study. "We think a similar process happens in other situations where tissue is starved of oxygen for a prolonged period, for example after a stroke or during surgery where major arteries are clamped to prevent blood loss. "We are hopeful that if human trials of MitoSNO are successful it could eventually be used in many other areas of medicine."

Commenting on the study, the British Heart Foundation, which part-funded the research, said the drug appeared promising. "It could potentially treat people immediately after a heart attack when blood flow to the heart is restored as part of routine treatment," said research adviser Shannon Amoils. "This could mean fewer heart attack survivors go on to live with the burden of heart failure, which for many is a debilitating and distressing condition."

BBC News - Heart attack drug may reduce tissue damage

 

[waltky]

Ibuprofen and diclofenac not good for the hard in high doses over a long period of time...

Common painkillers 'pose heart risk'
29 May 2013 > Two common painkillers, ibuprofen and diclofenac, can slightly increase the risk of heart problems if taken in high doses for a long time, data suggests.

People with severe arthritis often take the drugs, which also calm inflammation, to go about daily life. The researchers said some patients would deem the risk acceptable, but they should be given the choice. A study, published in the Lancet, showed the drugs posed even greater risks for smokers and the overweight. The risks have been reported before, but a team of researchers at the University of Oxford analysed the issue in unprecedented detail in order to help patients make an informed choice. The group investigated more than 353,000 patient records from 639 separate clinical trials to assess the impact of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

They looked at high-dose prescriptions levels, rather than over-the-counter pain relief, of 150mg diclofenac or 2,400mg ibuprofen each day. They showed that for every 1,000 people taking the drugs there would be three additional heart attacks, four more cases of heart failure and one death as well cases of stomach bleeding - every year as a result of taking the drugs. So the number of heart attacks would increase from eight per 1,000 people per year normally, to 11 per 1,000 people per year with the drugs. "Three per thousand per year sounds like it is quite a low risk, but the judgement has to be made by patients," said lead researcher Prof Colin Baigent. He added: "So if you're a patient and you go and sit in front of your doctor and discuss it, you are the one who should be making the judgement about whether three per thousand per year is worth it to allow you, potentially, to go about your daily life."

He said this should not concern people taking a short course of these drugs, for example for headaches. However, he did warn that those already at risk of heart problems would be at even greater risk as a result of the high-dose drugs. High blood pressure, cholesterol and smoking all increase the risk of heart problems. Prof Baigent said: "The higher your risk of heart disease, the higher your risk of a complication. Roughly speaking, if you've got double the risk of heart disease, then the risk of having a heart attack is roughly doubled." He said patients should consider ways to reduce their risk, which could include statins for some patients.

Alternative

 

[Mr. H.]

Is it true statins are made on an island, in New York?

 

[whitehall]

Yeah we know, the federally mandated side effects in every prescription ads usually include "fatal episodes". How many fatal episodes can you survive? The math is easy.

 

[Mr. H.]

I dunno. I've survived several fatal episodes in my life. Some drug induced.

 

[whitehall]

I dunno. I've survived several fatal episodes in my life. Some drug induced.

Umm, no. What you need is a remedial course in english.

 

[Mr. H.]

I could use a good hangover cure right now.

 

[Caroljo]

My husband and I were both on Simvastin for a long time. No problems for quite a while, but last year he'd had gotten so he was in a lot of pain. His legs would swell up and ache so bad he had a hard time walking. Our Dr thought it was vericose veins (on the inside). So he was being treated for that. We finally went to a vein Dr and found out he didn't have that. In the meantime we'd met other people that had the same symptoms, and some even worse...and found out it was caused from the statin drug he was taking! He got off them, and within a couple weeks he was feeling a lot better, and now he has no pain at all! We met someone that had got so bad that he had to sit in a chair in the shower because he couldn't stand that long.

So if anyone is having these symptoms are are taking this drug (any statin drug) you might want to check into this. When he went to the Dr last time he told him he wasn't taking them anymore and how good he felt.

Also....you need to make sure you really need to take them. I was on them, and now I get check-ups right here at work, and it shows my bad cholestrol is kinda high, but my good cholestrol is so high that there's no need to take anything for it. But yet my Dr. had me on them! If you don't absolutely need it, DON'T TAKE IT!!

 

[waltky]

For controlling blood pressure...

Panel suggests preventive statin use for adults over 40
Dec. 22, 2015 - Patients at 10 percent risk for having a heart attack or stroke in the next 10 years can benefit from the drugs, according to the new recommendation.

A government task force on health now recommends adults between the ages of 40 and 75 who are at risk for heart attack or stroke take statins. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force issued a draft recommendation for people with a 10 percent risk of heart attack or stroke in the next 10 years to take the drugs, but also suggested some with a risk as low as 7.5 percent take the drugs depending on individual diagnoses. Although some doctors question whether the potential side effects from statins -- muscle problems and higher risk for diabetes -- are worth it for lower risk patients, the new guideline echoes those issued in 2013 by the American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology. The USPSTF uses the AHA/ACC method for calculating risk, according to the draft recommendation. "People with no signs, symptoms, or history of cardiovascular disease can still be at risk for having a heart attack or stroke," Dr. Douglas K. Owens, a professor at Stanford University and member of the task force, said in a press release. "Fortunately, for certain people at increased risk, statins can be very effective at preventing these events."

Statin drugs are widely used to control cholesterol, and have been shown in studies to significantly reduce the risk for heart attack, stroke, and other cardiovascular events.​

The task force based its recommendation on 18 clinical trials of statin use with adults over 40, finding people between ages 40 and 75, with a risk factor for cardiovascular disease -- high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking -- and have a 7.5 percent risk of having a cardiovascular event in the next ten years can benefit from statins. The biggest preventive effect was seen in people with a 10 percent risk, with the task force making a strong recommendation for patients above the benchmark. For people between 40 and 75 with a 7.5 percent to 10 percent risk, statins can be beneficial but the the task force said these patients should consult with their doctors to assess the potential benefits of taking the drug. "The magnitude of the benefit is different the greater the risk," Owens told Time. "Heart disease risk is a continuum, so the higher your risk, the more likely you will benefit from taking a statin."

The recommendations leave room for discretion, which some have criticized as being vague and not helpful. Dr. Steven Nissen, chair of cardiovascular medicine at Cleveland Clinic, said the recommendation is confusing because it does not definitely suggest anything for some patients. While the task force notes potential benefits for patients at lower risk, it does not include patients under 10 percent seeing definite benefit from statins because of a lack of research establishing benefits for the lower threshold. "These recommendations leave as many questions as they give answers," Nissen said. "It doesn't clarify for prescribers and for patients what they should do. I find that exasperating."

Panel suggests preventive statin use for adults over 40