01-10-2013, 02:26 PM
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New Breed of Statins
NEW “miracle” statins will help patients live without the fear of harmful side-effects from the heart pills, say scientists.Eight million patients are prescribed statins but many experience adverse reactions and stop the treatment – putting them at risk of heart attack or stroke.
Now a team from the University of Dundee are working on safer and better medication after groundbreaking genetic research into patients most at risk of harm from taking statins and beta-blockers.
They want this to pave the way for more tailored prescriptions – and even the creation of treatments with no side-effects.
“There are millions of people being treated with these drugs in the UK alone and a significant number of them will suffer some pretty nasty reactions. This not only results in harm to the patients but it also leads to the treatment being discontinued and therefore placing them at greater risk of problems arising from heart disease.”
Professor Palmer’s team wants to use genetic sequencing to identify “biomarkers” which signal whether a patient can take the drugs safely or not.
They could then use this information to develop a cheap and simple clinical test in the form of a saliva or blood check.
This has to be excellent news for those who are intolerant of statins or are concerned about them.
The article does highlight that for some people, statins are not good news:
Around one per cent of patients receiving ACE inhibitors will suffer angioedema, a reaction which causes swelling around the mouth and lips.
A smaller ratio of people taking statins – put at one in 1,000 – will suffer myopathy, which causes muscle weakness and damage
Professor Palmer said: “If we can successfully identify the genetic factors at play we can then develop a test which could predict a patient’s reaction to the drugs.
“That would make the drugs far more effective in that we could ensure the right patients are being given the right drugs and not the ones that may cause them pretty serious problems.
Some experts want all those over 50 to be routinely prescribed them to ward off a host of chronic and potentially fatal illnesses from heart problems to cancer and dementia, even if they are deemed at low risk.
They say giving an extra five million people statins would cut heart attacks and strokes by 10,000 a year and save at least 2,000 lives. However, some believe that the side-effects, ranging from insomnia and stomach upsets to a rare but serious lung disorder, mean they should not be taken as a preventative treatment.
I think this is brilliant news on two fronts: those that are intolerant could be helped if the biomarking works and secondly - finally an admittance that for some people, they are simply not a good idea because they do have harmful side effects for a minority of people.
So a very well done to Professor Palmer.
http://www.express.co.uk/news/health...y-side-effects
01-10-2013, 02:30 PM
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Re: New Breed of Statins
It's good to see the side effects admitted for a change. Still wouldn't persuade me to take them though. I'm relying on changing my lifestyle to regulate my BP still on one ramipril a day but hope to cut that out eventually too.Less chemicals I ingest the better IMO.
01-10-2013, 06:53 PM
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Re: New Breed of Statins
Originally Posted by Julie1962
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It's good to see the side effects admitted for a change.
That is why you should report any side effects so that they can be recorded and collated.
You only have to look at the leaflet inside the box.
01-10-2013, 06:58 PM
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Re: New Breed of Statins
Originally Posted by ben-varrey
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I think this is brilliant news on two fronts: those that are intolerant could be helped if the biomarking works and secondly - finally an admittance that for some people, they are simply not a good idea because they do have harmful side effects for a minority of people.So a very well done to Professor Palmer.
Isn't science and 'so-called' experts wonderful.
02-10-2013, 10:26 AM
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Re: New Breed of Statins
[QUOTE=Pats;355909]Any possible side effects are always 'admitted' with any medications.That is why you should report any side effects so that they can be recorded and collated.
You only have to look at the leaflet inside the box.[/
They may be inside the packs but try and get a doctor to admit they may not just be magic pills and you will come up against a brick wall.
02-10-2013, 11:31 AM
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Re: New Breed of Statins
You're right there... In my experience, doctors either don't explain side-effects or else dismiss them as something you have to put up with.I was put under pressure by some of the staff at my health centre to take statins. When I asked about the benefits and problems with taking them, my usual GP just toed the party line. So, I tried taking them, but experienced headaches (a common problem according to the notes). I then saw a locum GP who simply said, "stop taking them, your cholesterol level isn't that bad anyway"
I think that there's too much pressure from the big pharmacutical companies and arbitrary targets from the NHS.
02-10-2013, 03:21 PM
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Re: New Breed of Statins
Originally Posted by Grumblewagon
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I was put under pressure by some of the staff at my health centre to take statins. When I asked about the benefits and problems with taking them, my usual GP just toed the party line.
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