UPDATE July 19, 2022: In the UK Express, Solen Le Net highlights some of the undesirable side effects of statin drugs, writing: High cholesterol contributes to the furring of the arteries which leads to heart attacks and other major cardiac events. Fortunately, statins prevent the deposit of fatty molecules inside arteries. In some cases, however, […]
What’s the Number Needed to Treat (NNT)?
Phillip Wegman at RealClear Politics reports: “That a return to masks is even being considered is a direct result of the delta variant of the coronavirus burning its way through the country. It is now the dominant variant worldwide, and it accounts for the majority of new COVID cases among the unvaccinated. Experts say that vaccines […]
You, Artery Clogging? Saturated Fat Cancer and Stroke
Originally posted April 3, 2013. Two nationally known MDs are concerned, linking red meat and “artery-clogging” saturated fat to cancer and stroke.? First you must consider the source. Would you consult your master electrician about a plumbing problem? Probably not. Then why would you consult your physician (trained in prescriptions and surgery) about nutrition rather […]
Statins May Halve Heart-Attack Risk
Originally posted May 7, 2012. This archived Time article recently caught my attention. Halving heart-attack risk would sure be a welcome result. The article noted the following: 17,800 people were tracked in the study. Half (8,900) were given a placebo. Half (8,900) were given the statin drug Crestor. Over about two years, the article notes, […]
New Research Suggests Statins are Over-Prescribed
Originally posted on December 4, 2018. Physicians believe that current thresholds for prescribing statins may be too low. We have regularly highlighted the unconvincing evidence for statins (read here, here, here, and here for starters). Read here from Sam Blanchard at the Daily Mail about new research that suggests statins are over-prescribed: The risks of […]
Study: Statins Not Useful in Healthy Elderly to Prevent Heart Disease
An article provided by the British Medical Journal to Medicalxpress.com details a study that found statins were no help to healthy elderly people in preventing heart disease. They wrote (abridged): Statins are not associated with a reduction in cardiovascular disease (conditions affecting the heart and blood vessels) or death in healthy people aged over 75, […]
Lipitor—Junk Science Math
Originally posted July 7, 2015. Shane Ellison, M.Sc., “The Peoples Chemist,” explains in an email (copied below) the difference between relative and absolute risk. As Shane writes, “Statistical contortionism is the art of converting healthy people into patients by using numbers to exaggerate drug benefits. Lipitor is a prime example.” The message is simple. Never pay […]
Your Odds with Statins: 500 to 1?
Originally posted October 5, 2011. If you are considering a drug such as a statin, do you and your family know about the “number needed to treat” (NNT)? I’ve been looking into NNT and found a Businessweek article from January 17, 2008 that explains the concept well. Basically, NNT is the number of patients who […]
Cholesterol: Life Saving Intelligence From the Real Pros
At the conclusion of a three part interview with Chris Kresser, Chris Masterjohn talks about the role of cholesterol in heart disease, how to handle cholesterol and more. During the interview Masterjohn tells listeners what to do, and what not to do about high cholesterol. So, the first thing that we need to understand is […]
Do Your Own Research on Statins
Originally posted October 20, 2010. In the informative BusinessWeek article “Do Cholesterol Drugs Do Any Good?,” from January 28, 2008, a sidebar heading reads: “In the real world, a slew of side effects from statins.” In recent weeks, I have shared with you a number of items in this article that have caught my eye. […]
