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publication date: Mar 21, 2009 | author/source: Dr. Forrest Smith Download Print Send a summary of this page to someone via email. Previous | Dr. Forrest Smith Crabapple Internal Medicine If your doctor has prescribed for you a statin drug such as Lipitor, Zocor, and others, you should know a few facts before filling that prescription. For many years we have had mounting studies which seemingly prove the use of statins in the prevention and treatment of coronary artery disease. Most of these studies are funded by the manufacturers of the very drugs they study. Also important to know is that the studies are time limited. We do not have the data for long-term use of these drugs. Would I prescribe statins to a 60- year-old man who has elevated LDL and coronary disease? Yes, absolutely, but there is less evidence for statins as prevention. In the next two weeks I would like to share some information and concerns about the frequent use of this class of drugs for many Americans with elevated, and more and more commonly, normal levels of cholesterols. These concerns are well researched by the forward thinking cardiologist Stephen Sinatra, MD in his book The Sinatra Solution. The notion that high cholesterol causes heart disease has allowed the pharmaceutical industry to saturate us with millions of prescriptions for cholesterol-lowering drugs. The truth is that half of the people who have a heart attack don't have high cholesterol. Cholesterol has been perceived as the bad guy. The truth is that LDL cholesterol is needed by every cell in the body to grow and repair itself, and the body uses it to produce hormones - including sexual hormones. Scientists do not currently understand what impact lowering cholesterol levels may have long term. Researchers have already linked low LDL cholesterol to Parkinson's disease and possibly to Lou Gehrig's Disease. It is known that statins inhibit the synthesis of cholesterol in the brain, specifically by blocking the growth of new synapses between nerve cells. This may account for the amnesia, confusion, disorientation and dementia reported by some statin takers. Also, by blocking this biochemical pathway, statins inhibit the production of other vital biochemicals, notably heart-friendly Co-Q10. Before trying a statin drug, consider other interventions for your heart health. Exercise! Endurance exercise, such as jogging or cycling, is one of the best ways to lower inflammation and increases beneficial HDL levels. Aim for 30 to 45 minutes of aerobic exercise 5 times a week. Lose that belly fat! Women with waists that measure more than 35 inches (more than 40 for men) likely have high inflammation in the body. This greatly increases risk for heart disease and diabetes. And quit smoking! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn