Published reports say that between 11 million to 30 million Americans are taking the supposedly wonder drugs called statins. These cholesterol lowering medications brought in over $34 billion in sales last year and have raked in a quarter of a trillion dollars since they were introduced two decades ago, according to a report published by Forbes last fall. But this market is apparently not big enough to satisfy Big Pharma. The drugs, which are sold under familiar names like Lipitor, Vitorin, Zocor, Zetia, Crestor and others, are beginning to be pushed for reasons other than lowering cholesterol -- including the alleged prevention of pneumonia.
If this use of the drug doesn't seem to make sense to you, you aren't alone. In fact, giving statins to elderly people to prevent pneumonia increases the risk they will get the disease.
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Recently (28 Sept 2010), I had gone to the doctor to get approved to get a mamogram. Well, the doctor started right away about taking a Statin, I told her I did not want to take a Statin, my mother had taken Advantia and Lipitor, she died at age 70. And I have a book by an astronaut that took Lipitor and he lost memory, it called"Lipitor, The Theft of Memory". I have read all the side effects of Statins and my choice right now is not to take them, I do not smoke, I am not fat, and I excercise and watch what I eat. This Doctor wanted me to find another provider/Doctor, because I will not take a Statin, I though this was a personal choice, not manatory.
ReplyDeleteMarjorie P. Knepp