Cholesterol-Lowering Drug Problem
Cholesterol-Lowering Drugs
Consumer Reports’ January 2006 issue reports a muscle and kidney failure in a 69 year-old patient after her doctor increased the dosage of the cholesterol-lowering drug Crestor (to the maximum amount). Carolyn Reece, 69, fell unconscious in her home and was rushed to a hospital where rhabdomyolysis, or muscle breakdown and kidney failure were diagnosed. Reece must now undergo dialysis for four hours a day, three times a week. She’s suing the drug’s maker, AstraZeneca, charging among other things, that the company failed to sufficiently "convey the true risks associated with the use of Crestor." In court documents, the drugmaker denied the charges.
Physicians are supposed to voluntarily report any serious drug reactions to the FDA’s MedWatch program. I have reported serious life-threatening occurrences involving another drug to MedWatch. Researchers look for signals that a medication might be causing problems, but only 1 - 10 percent of such incidents are ever reported, various studies have estimated.
The FDA has recently taken stronger action in some areas by issuing more warning letters about misleading ads, and has begun releasing information on its Web site: www.fda.gov/cdr/drug/drugsafety/drugindex.htm about possible adverse drug effects even before the information has been fully vetted, according to postings on the site.
You can do something about all this by asking your doctor if the risks outweigh the benefits in your case and whether other options may be right for you. Ask your doctor whether nondrug treatments may be right for you.
High cholesterol is directly related to conditions such as arteriosclerosis, cardiovascular disease, circulatory problems, heart attack, and hypertension.
Meat and dairy products are primary sources of dietary cholesterol. Vegetables and fruits are free of cholesterol. Many people use margarine or vegetable shortening as substitutes for butter because they contain no cholesterol. However, these products contain compounds called trans-fatty acids that become oxidized when exposed to heat and can clog the arteries. The have been linked to the formation of free radicals.
In large amounts, coffee can elevate blood cholesterol levels, more than doubling the risk of heart disease. According to a report published in The New England Journal of Medicine, observation of 15,000 coffee drinkers revealed that as the intake of coffee rises, the amount of cholesterol in the blood goes up.
The body needs some fats, but they must be the right kind (good fats). Fats supply energy and they stay in the digestive tract for longer periods. They act as an intestinal lubricant, generate body heat, and carry the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K in the body. All cell membranes are comprised of fats as well. Unfortunately, most Americans consume much too much of the wrong fats — that is, saturated, hydrogenated and heated fats—which are linked to obesity, cardiovascular disease and certain types of cancer.
Many fast (fat) food restaurants use beef tallow (fat) to make their hamburgers, fried fish, fried chicken and French-fried potatoes. Not only do these fried foods contain high amounts of cholesterol, but this fat is subjected to high temperatures in the deep-frying process, resulting in oxidation and the formation of free radicals. Heating fat, especially frying food in fat, also produces toxic trans-fatty acids, which seem to behave much like saturated fats in clogging the arteries and raising the blood cholesterol levels.
Pure first cold pressed virgin olive oil appears to help reduce serum cholesterol. A monounsaturated-fatty-acid-rich diet that includes olive oil may be the reason for the low serum cholesterol levels found in people living in Italy and Greece.
Studies have shown that diets consisting of grains, fruits, and vegetables result in lower blood cholesterol levels. In the United States and northern Europe, where people consume large amounts of meat and dairy products, extremely high rates of heart and circulatory disease are present. Even children in these nations show signs of progressive vascular disease due to hypercholesterolemia (an excess of cholesterol in the blood).
Consumer Reports’ January 2006 issue reports a muscle and kidney failure in a 69 year-old patient after her doctor increased the dosage of the cholesterol-lowering drug Crestor (to the maximum amount). Carolyn Reece, 69, fell unconscious in her home and was rushed to a hospital where rhabdomyolysis, or muscle breakdown and kidney failure were diagnosed. Reece must now undergo dialysis for four hours a day, three times a week. She’s suing the drug’s maker, AstraZeneca, charging among other things, that the company failed to sufficiently "convey the true risks associated with the use of Crestor." In court documents, the drugmaker denied the charges.
Physicians are supposed to voluntarily report any serious drug reactions to the FDA’s MedWatch program. I have reported serious life-threatening occurrences involving another drug to MedWatch. Researchers look for signals that a medication might be causing problems, but only 1 - 10 percent of such incidents are ever reported, various studies have estimated.
The FDA has recently taken stronger action in some areas by issuing more warning letters about misleading ads, and has begun releasing information on its Web site: www.fda.gov/cdr/drug/drugsafety/drugindex.htm about possible adverse drug effects even before the information has been fully vetted, according to postings on the site.
You can do something about all this by asking your doctor if the risks outweigh the benefits in your case and whether other options may be right for you. Ask your doctor whether nondrug treatments may be right for you.
High cholesterol is directly related to conditions such as arteriosclerosis, cardiovascular disease, circulatory problems, heart attack, and hypertension.
Meat and dairy products are primary sources of dietary cholesterol. Vegetables and fruits are free of cholesterol. Many people use margarine or vegetable shortening as substitutes for butter because they contain no cholesterol. However, these products contain compounds called trans-fatty acids that become oxidized when exposed to heat and can clog the arteries. The have been linked to the formation of free radicals.
In large amounts, coffee can elevate blood cholesterol levels, more than doubling the risk of heart disease. According to a report published in The New England Journal of Medicine, observation of 15,000 coffee drinkers revealed that as the intake of coffee rises, the amount of cholesterol in the blood goes up.
The body needs some fats, but they must be the right kind (good fats). Fats supply energy and they stay in the digestive tract for longer periods. They act as an intestinal lubricant, generate body heat, and carry the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K in the body. All cell membranes are comprised of fats as well. Unfortunately, most Americans consume much too much of the wrong fats — that is, saturated, hydrogenated and heated fats—which are linked to obesity, cardiovascular disease and certain types of cancer.
Many fast (fat) food restaurants use beef tallow (fat) to make their hamburgers, fried fish, fried chicken and French-fried potatoes. Not only do these fried foods contain high amounts of cholesterol, but this fat is subjected to high temperatures in the deep-frying process, resulting in oxidation and the formation of free radicals. Heating fat, especially frying food in fat, also produces toxic trans-fatty acids, which seem to behave much like saturated fats in clogging the arteries and raising the blood cholesterol levels.
Pure first cold pressed virgin olive oil appears to help reduce serum cholesterol. A monounsaturated-fatty-acid-rich diet that includes olive oil may be the reason for the low serum cholesterol levels found in people living in Italy and Greece.
Studies have shown that diets consisting of grains, fruits, and vegetables result in lower blood cholesterol levels. In the United States and northern Europe, where people consume large amounts of meat and dairy products, extremely high rates of heart and circulatory disease are present. Even children in these nations show signs of progressive vascular disease due to hypercholesterolemia (an excess of cholesterol in the blood).
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