Heart Disease- Old School

In the old days, the biggest predictor of heart disease was elevated cholesterol levels. The standard of care was to do everything possible to lower cholesterol levels. At times, lifestyle and dietary changes were recommended but the emergence of statin drugs made the task so much easier. Statins (like Lipitor, Crestor, Zocor) generally do an excellent job of lowering cholesterol levels.

Then, data emerged that nearly 50% of people who have heart disease actually have normal levels of cholesterol. It appears that inflammation may play a more important role in promoting heart disease; regardless of cholesterol levels. Regretfully, rather than thoroughly re-examining our understanding of heart disease and seeking imaginative solutions for it, we simply found new rationale to keep doing what we've been doing. More statins, more statins and more statins.... because not only do statins reduce cholesterol, they also reduce inflammation!

Let me quote something from a WebMD article referencing a 2008 New England Journal of Medicine article (I generally like WebMD... but this was just a little too crazy).

" Millions of Americans take statins to lower their cholesterol, but dramatic findings from a study of the statin drug Crestor suggest that millions more might benefit from treatment...The study was funded by Astra-Zeneca, which makes Crestor."

Is it just me or does that sound like a line from a low budget infomercial? It goes on...

"This study was designed to identify new groups of patients who could benefit from statin therapy, and it did that," Mayo Clinic cardiologist and American Heart Association past-president Raymond Gibbons, MD, tells WebMD"

Imagine that! A study paid for by the makers of Crestor, deliberately designed to see if more people should take Crestor, finds that more people need to take Crestor.

Yes- this kind of science has a certain stink about it. But just because it smells a little bit doesn't meant that there isn't some truth hidden in the pile of money-driven, self-serving hogwash. In the coming series on heart disease, we'll dissect heart disease and show ways for you to think about it. There is more to it than statins.

Like most chronic diseases, it is incredibly complex. Multiple variables that influence the pathogenesis and progression have been identified. I hope that when you're through with the series, you'll feel empowered and equipped to open up meaningful lines of dialogue with your doctor.