| The other day, the FDA announced that individuals | | | | of this statin may develop serious and life-threatening |
| taking 80mg of a leading statin drug that lowers | | | | conditions as a result. |
| cholesterol may face a high risk of developing muscle | | | | Cholesterol is normally produced by the body. It not |
| problems, including rhabdomyolysis (the rapid | | | | only assists functions in the body, but it produces cell |
| breakdown of skeletal muscles) and the most serious | | | | membranes that are important to our health. Too much |
| form of myopathy, which can lead to kidney damage, | | | | cholesterol can lead to strokes and heart attacks. |
| kidney failure, and even death. | | | | Thus, when you go for your annual check-up, and a |
| This news is disturbing on so many levels. For | | | | blood test is taken to chart the cholesterol levels in |
| individuals who have high cholesterol drugs, your doctor | | | | your body, it is at this point that the doctor will tell you |
| may have originally prescribed other more popular | | | | whether or not you need to make changes in your |
| cholesterol drugs. But, after the first year of taking | | | | lifestyle or take statins. A healthy diet and exercise |
| either of these drugs, you may have suddenly been | | | | can go a long way in keep your cholesterol in check. |
| told that your insurance company will no longer pay for | | | | But, if your numbers are too high, a statin drug will be |
| them and therefore, this 3rd leading statin drug would | | | | prescribed. |
| be prescribed instead. Now we learn that taken in high | | | | In most cases, a more popular statin drug is not |
| doses, this drug can affect muscles and kidneys. | | | | prescribed, even if you have the best medical |
| As we approach the all-important vote to reform | | | | coverage on the planet. For those who cannot afford |
| health care, it seems to this writer than we are at the | | | | the more expensive statin drugs, they are left to deal |
| edge of an abyss, with the insurance companies and | | | | with the less effective statin drug and take an |
| pharmaceutical companies standing behind us ready to | | | | enormous risk they will not develop myopathy or |
| push us over the edge. | | | | kidney failure. |
| While it is true that all statins have side effects, the | | | | These are the choices we have? These are the risks |
| news about this statin is not only infuriating and | | | | we continually have to take because an insurance |
| frightening, but begs the question: Why wasn't this | | | | company or pharmaceutical company deems it so? It's |
| information available before it was prescribed to | | | | enough! One doctor's comment about the news was |
| millions of people? In the case of the leading statin | | | | quite alarming. He said "patients shouldn't lose sight of |
| drug, it was studied for 17 years before it was | | | | the benefits of statin use." Well, doctor, you are wrong! |
| released. Yet, because the insurance companies are | | | | Patients should never lose sight of the risks associated |
| so greedy, and do not give a hoot about anything | | | | with taking this particular statin. |
| except the bottom line, those who are taking high does | | | | |