The British Medical Journal has published an editorial discussing the results of the recently completed JUPITER Study.
This editorial aims to put the results of the study in context with the existing evidence based and understand what the results mean in terms of current practice.
The authors of this study conclude that no change is required.
In addition the Rapid Responses are heavily critical of the decision to stop the study early and make for interesting reading.
Hat tip: Matt
2 comments:
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/130805.php
Thoughts About those Darn HMG Co-A Reductase Inhibitors
With statins as a class of medications:
A.E.s are thought to occur more often than they are reported- with high dose statins in particular, yet with the type of statin administered possibly having a correlation with A.E.s as well.
Statins used with macrolide antibiotics can cause accelerated myopathy, it is believed.
Additionally, there is no reduction in mortality or increase in the lifespan of one on statin therapy, according to many. So caution should perhaps be considered if one chooses to prescribe such a drug for a patient. In other words, the health care provider should be assured that statin therapy for their patients is reasonable and necessary.
Several risk factors should determine if one is placed on statin therapy, and not just one. High cholesterol is the apex of such therapy, yet other risk factors of the patient should be examined and evaluated as well.
Statins do decrease CV events and CV risks significantly. This may be due to the fact that statins increase endothelial function, stabilize coronary plaque build- up, and decrease thrombus formation. Maximum reduction in LDL can be determined after about a month of statin therapy.
There is evidence to suggest that statins have other benefits besides lowering LDL, such as reducing inflammation (CRP) with patients on statin therapy, those with dementia or Parkinson's disease, and some forms of Cancer and cataracts.
It appears those statins that are produced specifically by fermentation, such as Zocor and Pravachol, have less incidences of myopathy than the other synthetic statins that exist. This may possibly due to fermented statins are believed to be much more hydrophyllic.
Yet overall, the existing cholesterol lowering recommendations should be re-evaluated, as they may be over-exaggerated, if one chooses to compare these guidelines with others in the past.
Finally, a focus on children and their lifestyles should be amplified so their arteries do not become those of one who is middle-aged, and prevent them from being candidates for statin therapy,
Dan Abshear
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