Big Pharma wants you to take statins for your cholesterol…your prostate…and for Parkinson’s disease. In fact, they rewrote patient criteria in 2013 so doctors could prescribe more of them.
New research claims it helps prevent cardiovascular disease (CVD). But does it?
Dr. Udo Hoffmann led the study. He works out of Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School. With his colleagues, he compared the old 2004 guidelines to the newer 2013 guidelines.
Thanks to the new guidelines, 25% more at-risk patients became eligible for statin therapy. We have the American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) to thank for that.1
But here’s the thing…
Under the old guidelines, 7% of people eligible for statin treatment developed CVD. And under the new guidelines? About 6% developed it.2 That’s only a 1% decrease in CVD risk.
Worst of all… People who are at risk but have never had a heart attack or stroke are the least likely to benefit from statin drugs. These are the people researchers were looking at for this study.
An earlier study found people in this category would have to take statins for five years just to see a 1.6% decrease in heart attack risk… And that only came with a 0.37% decrease in stroke risk.3
So statins really benefit one group of people: The ones who profit from them.
These drugs aren’t just ineffective. They’re a serious threat to your health. Taking them can raise your risk of thyroid cancer…4 Or cause your muscles to wither away. They could also raise your Parkinson’s risk by a shocking 139%.5
Another study revealed statins only prevent 750 fatal heart attacks and strokes a year in Britain. That’s out of the nearly seven million people taking them.6
And what prevented nearly 5,000 deaths? Simple diet and lifestyle changes. Like eating less sodium and getting regular exercise.7
The easiest path to better heart health starts with the foods you eat. And the ones you avoid. Get more fiber from organic fruits and vegetables to lower your heart attack risk by up to 40%.8 And avoid inflammatory foods like dairy and “heart-healthy” grains.
But statins aren’t the only drugs you must avoid at all costs…
We list several others in our special report, The Top 10 Dangerous Pharmaceutical Drugs—And Their Natural Alternatives. It’s an important read for you and your family. Why? Because millions of Americans are taking these deadly pills. There’s a good chance someone you love is endangering his or her life. And they may have no clue.
You’ll discover a proven plant extract that works as well as antidepressants—but without horrible side effects… A common nutrient that 23 studies have shown decreases blood pressure… An antioxidant found in beer that not only relieves joint pain, but can help you feel relaxed and calm… And we’re just getting started.
In Good Health,
Angela Salerno
Publisher, INH Health Watch
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References:
1http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=2396478#
2Idem
3http://www.thennt.com/nnt/statins-for-heart-disease-prevention-without-prior-heart-disease/
4http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25074346
5http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/mds.26152/abstract
6http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science/science-news/11363785/Statins-save-fewer-lives-than-exercising-and-eating-sensibly-say-scientists.html
7Idem
8http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8627965