Introduction and research
Experts say that the drugs which were known to reduce the risk of death and heart attack from heart disease, the statins, might produce the contrary.
Cholesterol can be reduced with statins but this medicine is now highly prescribed to older patients to prevent premature death, even though experts say that there is no evidence of this actions in this way too.
Yesterday a study was published which confirms that statins do not help adults with healthy hearts to live longer. Data was analyzed from 2,500 adults, who were previously tested with treatment for hypertension and preventing heart attacks which finished in 2002, by some researchers from New York City. Groups were given statins and other general care, but there was no proof of expanding their lifespan.
Secondary effects
The facts can be strongly argued as professor David G. Sutin, a study co-author from Langone Medical Center, sustains that side-effects of taking statins are rising.
“We know that any negative effect on day-to-day function places older adults at higher risk for functional decline and death,” he said.
“It’s possible that, for these more vulnerable older adults, the muscle pain or fatigue that can come with statins offset the benefit of statins for primary cardiovascular prevention.”
Doctors should now pay attention on the patient’s medications, cardiovascular results, their chronic medical conditions and everyday function, professor Han confirms. Both risks and benefits of using statins are counted.
“Providers should engage in shared decision-making with their older patients and treatment recommendations should be individualized,” he said
Cardiovascular prevention in older adults is anylized by study authors side by side with other experts.
Conclusion
The JAMA Internal Medicine’s journal is where you can find the report published. The purpose of this research is to prove that millions of people might use wrong doses of cholesterol-lowering statins.
