A Better Way to Screen for Heart Disease?

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I believe Statin drugs should be banned. The side effects are so bad. We need cholesterol for every cell in our bodies. Doctors should look at their patients, that can hardly walk and our in pain. Instead of blaming it on their age or other diseases they should instead take them off the statins and see if their patients feel better. I stayed away from the drug for years and then this past year tryed a new statin drug, all the others made me feel like I had the flu within two days. This time I took the drug at bedtime and did not at first notice any side effects. After a while I noticed how tired and bad I was feeling. I never connected it to the statin drug. Then I developed terrible pain in my feet. Also I had a bad shoulder for ten months. Now I am having horrible muscle pains in my legs. I stopped taking statin drugs two months ago. My feet seem a little better now. My blood work shows many problems now that I never had, a high crp reading. Also a high reading for RA, which I never had, and do not believe I have. This is all from the statin drug.I was checked out by the bone doctor, my bones in my feet are fine, so its muscle damage.
There is no difference in mortality rate of people with high cholestrol readings. This to me is a big money making drug that causes more grief then it worth.

Maryrose Fougere of MA 12:04AM November 11, 2011

What I find amazing about nature is that there are viruses out there that destroy but in the entire evolution of the species there has yet to be a virus created by nature that prolongs life, makes organisms better, and repairs damaged cells. Come to think of it no one has ever made a computer virus that makes computers faster either.

Justin of KS 11:19AM September 24, 2010

Inflamation is at the heart of many maladies and I suggest major emotional and psychiatric conditions. Inflamation is generated by infections allergic septic or
fungal and compounded by emotionally compromised immune systems. The body is one entity................?

DONALD 10:41AM February 04, 2009

These "findings" are for marketing, not for the publics better health! Dr. John McDougall, Board Certified Internist and 35 years practitioner of "Healthy Lifestyle Medicine" argues convincingly on the travesty of this study. Go to
http://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2008other/news081110crestor.html
"Advertising Passed off as Research Confuses the Public Again."
"Study published in the New England Journal of Medicine expands the indications for statins -- and the public suffers." . . . . etc. . . .
When will this baloney of "research" stop??

Bill Kleinbauer of CA 1:50AM November 12, 2008

Poultry have atherosclerosis and Marek's disease. Marek's was a serious disease until a vaccine was developed from a turkey virus. Dr. CG Fabricant at Cornell dicovered that the vaccine also elminated atherosclerosis in poultry. She did a great deal of work in this area and clearly demonstrated the presence of a herpes virus as the cause. She should have received a Nobel for this work. Dr. Vercellotti at the University of Minnesota did a great deal with herpes virus and human atherosclerosis. This paper is further evidence that heart disease is caused by herpes virus and a vaccine is possible. Naturally there is much more profit to be gained by statins than would be possible with a vaccine. Look what happened when a vaccine was developed for polio, no more disease and nothing to sell. The people need to press for a cure!

Courtney P. Allen of IA 5:11PM November 11, 2008

Chronic inflammation of what? Chronic inflammation where?

of 4:38AM November 11, 2008

The link in the article about cholesterol says, "The "normal" values for serum lipids depend on the patient's age, sex, and race. Normal values for people in Western countries are usually given as 140–220 mg/dL in adults…"
The problem is that to have an extremely low risk of a heart attack, you have to get your cholesterol level down to around 150. A 150 to 160 range is pretty good. The Framingham Heart Study verifies this. Yet the American Heart Association recommends a cholesterol level of 200 or less.
Although dietary fat is more the culprit than dietary cholesterol, it makes no nutritional sense to eat ANY cholesterol if you're above 150. Go vegan.

Ron Elterman of OR 4:30AM November 11, 2008

Noting that 1/2 of those who had heart attacks had "normal" cholesterol, it is clear that cholesterol is not the main culprit in heart attacks and that statins are not the answer (because many of those who had the heart attacks were on statins). Thus, to suggest that statins can prevent heart attacks is not logical; there is no evidence in the study or the article to support further use of statins.
Certainly, the C Reactive Protein Test is better, but one must look at other factors. Also, one wonders if such drugs as Plavix and Cumidin are as good as high Omega 3 fish oils, because the fish oils nourish the heart, counter blood stickiness and also help the brain's function--whereas Plavix and Cumidin but thin the blood, and at times, thin it too much.
There should be more tests of fish oil Omega 3, not just statins. Also, notice always the caveat at the bottom of the statin commercials that there is no necessary correlation between cholesterol and heart attacks! Add to this the serious side effects to the kidneys, liver, brain and other organs from statins and you wonder where and how the pharmaceutical industry can continue deceiving the public.s
Finally, this study was paid for by the makers of Crestor.
Somehow, the whole things smells.
Sincerely, sadly,
Dr. Sam Hamod

Dr. Sam Hamod of CA 3:30AM November 11, 2008

In summary, after reading your ENTIRE article, one could conclude that CRP readings are one tool in the arsenal of cardiac screening. Given all the other things that can effect CRP and heart health in general, it is clearly not the only tool that should be used in cardiac evaluation. My PCP stopped testing mine because I also have arthritis and the inflamation in my knees made the CRP reading meaningless.

Peggy of NY 3:44PM November 10, 2008