Every man, woman and child
Soon, we'll all be drinking Big Pharma's Kool Aid, if recent statistics offer any sort of glimpse into the future. While they couldn't quite get their blockbuster "statin" drugs into our water supply (as one misguided, foolhardy fan had gushingly suggested), the envelope is being pushed more and more.
Current data shows that in just six years, the number of people 20 to 44 who are on cholesterol drugs has exploded—making a 68 percent leap. An estimated 4.2 million people in that age group are now on a drug to treat their cholesterol. This rate is far outpacing the elderly in number of new patients. (Probably because they're pretty close to having just about every last one of them snagged and drugged.)
It's no secret that associations get a good portion of their funding from the big pharmaceuticals. Not surprisingly, the head of the American Heart Association (Lapdog of Lipitor, for short) thinks this is great news, according to a quote from him that was picked up by multiple news outlets. I hardly agree.
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that we've got some serious health issues on our hands. There are many major chronic diseases, before seen only in older people, are now becoming more common in ever-younger people. Blood pressure and cholesterol numbers are no doubt climbing—and a very good reason for that can be placed squarely on our lifestyle habits. No drug, statin or otherwise, can repair bad habits.
Statins are far from risk-free, but that doesn't stop the mainstream medical community from becoming more and more enthralled with this "wonder" drug. It seems every time I turn around, there's another press release about the latest health issue a statin could be a boon for. Here's a sampling of recent stories:
Statins "appear" to slow age-related decline in lung function in the elderly
Statins help prevent heart attack for at least a decade after people stop taking them (now that's unprecedented staying power)
Statins may help prevent Alzheimer's disease
Truly amazing. Reminds me of some of my buddies' fishing stories and "the big 'un that got away." I'm waiting for the news report that says statins are able to leap tall buildings in a single bound.
If you have your cholesterol tested and find yourself falling in the ever lowering, drop-the-bottom-out number where a statin drug is "recommended," hit the pause button. I recommend that you take a close look at your health habits before you even think about jumping on the prescription bandwagon. (Or runaway train). I don't care how old or young you are, a lifestyle change is probably just the remedy you need.
Even statin-happy docs will agree that losing just five pounds can make a positive impact on your cholesterol levels.
Also, ask your doctor to take a look at your HDL "good" cholesterol level. Statins don't do anything to promote that—and it's a number many mainstream doctors aren't paying much attention to, but should.
