Statin drugs

[gu99]

I have battled high cholesterol for most of my adult life and am now at 170 (total) with the aid of a statin drug.  I have seen some reports that say that even though statins reduce cholesterol numbers there isn't the expected correlation with reduced incidence of heart disease. Is that true?  And if so, why should I continue taking a statins and risk liver damage?

[gymdandee]

inflammation sometimes starts as early as childhood. And they always run their course slowly, silently, and steadily with inflammation as the key.
In fact, name just about any disease, and you can bet that inflammation is a part of the
picture. Heart disease, arthritis, Alzheimer’s, asthma, or osteoporosis—all of these
conditions can be traced back to inflammation.
The pill pushers behind Big Pharma know this well their entire business is built on it.
If we learned one thing from the Vioxx scandal, it’s that prescription anti-inflammatories kill and a whole lot faster than the diseases I just mentioned, too.
Your immune system is a complex array of cells that work to protect your body
from invaders viruses, bacteria, allergens, and toxins, to name a few. Inflammation is
what happens when this system springs into action.
inflammation doesn’t ravage your body without leaving a few clues. And knowing your levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) can give you a fair warning as to what kind of trouble it could be causing.
Your body makes CRP in response to many different kinds of inflammation—and
elevated CRPs are associated with increased risk of a variety of serious conditions
including heart disease, diabetes, and dementia.
there’s an excellent blood test called the highly sensitive CReactive
protein test (hcCRP).your level should be less than 1.0. Levels
between 1.0 and 3.0 are termed borderline But anything above this range can mean trouble, and should always be followed by a recheck in one to three months.
to prevent inflammation start with diet. And the Mediterranean standard is the best one to keep. anti-inflammatory supplements, adding some omega-3 fatty acids especially in the form of (EPA), a key anti-inflammatory fat. I suggest 2,000 mg of EPA per day. Probiotics (healthy gut bacteria found in fermented foods like yogurt, kefir, and sauerkraut) can also help. tumeric (which is found in curry), ginger, and rosemary. Resveratrol (found in grape skins and red wine) is also a powerful anti-inflammatory and one that is especially helpful in protecting against cancer.
anti-inflammatory vitamins , vitamin D (at least 1,000 to 2,000 units a day)
may be the most important although you clearly need adequate amounts of vitamins A,
C, and E along with the minerals zinc, magnesium, potassium, and selenium.
Exercise is another proven in-flammation-reducer, partly as a result of its fat-burning
effect, fat cells increase inflammation. You should get 30 to 45 minutes of
vigorous exercise (the kind where you really work up a sweat) at least five days a week—
with some strength training also fit in for at least two of those days. And make sure you
get a professional to help you devise a routine and to show you good exercise form just
slopping around on your own is a surefire way to get injured!
physical and emotional stress is a large, essential piece of the antiinflammation
puzzle which means not only cutting down the stress in your
environment, but also learning how to cope with it better . Good nutrition
and exercise can both help this, as can a wide variety of mind-body techniques, including
meditation, deep-breathing exercises,

[gu99]

This is good information.  Thank you all.  I think I have much to discuss with my my GP and Cardiologist at my next appointments.

I was especially interest to see that statins have been linked to hormonal imbalances.  At my last annual physical my GP found that I had low testosterone levels and wanted to immediately start HRT. Knowing that it was a huge step, I've been resisting. Now I have some additional information and maybe HRT is not the answer.

Thanks again to all.  Please keep up the discussion.  It never hurts to have more information and viewpoints.

[remar]

Yes, please do keep up this discussion. It's all very interesting.
As a heart patient, I'm trying to learn everything I can. My mother and sister are also heart patients. Kind of strange that my cholesterol was more than good, but my mom and sister had very high cholesterol when we had our heart attacks. It makes me wonder what the numbers should be.
I've heard about dental problems and heart disease. What studies have been done on that subject?
My sister also has RA. We all know that causes inflammation of the joints. What studies have been done on that and heart disease?

[gymdandee]

Poor dental health has been linked to body-wide inflammation and to an increased risk of heart attack, stroke or diabetes. Plaque build-up along the gum lines causes gingivitis, creating a home for bacteria to thrive in. This will cause gum-tissue breakdown, allowing bacteria to pass into the bloodstream where they cause inflammation. I suggest a mandatory daily flossing, a full two-minute brushing with a soft toothbrush, a 30-second gargle with a plaque rinse, and a thorough cleaning performed by a dental hygienist at least two times per year. a homemade helper: Work a paste of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide into your gum lines with a rubber-tipped gum stimulator. Rinse with warm salt water from a Water-Pik. Do this daily, or at least three times per week. And if your gums are bleeding, take 100 to 200 mg of coenzyme Q10 daily, which will speed the healing.

[gymdandee]

Two studies on RA and Perio Dental

http://www.perio.org/consumer/mbc.heart.htm

http://www.arthritis.org/ra-heart-disease.php

[rsarah99]

I'm one of the statistics, I have heart disease after having a long battle in trying to manage my cholesterol.  I didn't take statins regularly and their you have it, honestly although I am just one data point, the risk of liver damage is low in comparison to putting your loved ones at worry...