WOW, I did not realize how big the statin business is

(John) #1

I came across this in Wikipedia and it really surprised me.

The best-selling statin is atorvastatin, which in 2003 became the best-selling pharmaceutical in history.

I had to look up Pharmaceutical just because I couldn’t believe my definition was correct, but it was, 1 brand of statin is the best selling medicine of all time.

The most commonly used individual drug in 2011-2012 was simvastatin, which is taken by roughly 8 percent of U.S. adults.

According to the census, removing people under 18 the US has an estimated 226 million adults, if 8% are taking it then 18 million people are on just that 1 brand of statin, and that was data from 5 years ago.

Just found this report from CBS

Under the new guidelines, 56 million Americans ages 40 to 75 are eligible to consider a statin; 43 million were under the old advice. Both numbers include 25 million people taking statins now.

How does this not tell you that your dietary advice is killing people?

(Karen Parrott) #2

Statins are becoming tricky to avoid.

I figure the best thing I can do individually is ask for LCHF/ Keto “normal ranges” for my Lipid Panel and have an algorithm on my lab report that when the lab clicks my fasting button, they can also click the LCHF/Keto button and my “normal ranges” on my lab report will appear. I wonder how far off this change in normal values will be.

I’m just sitting here on Weight Maintenance Island. Waiting.

(Mike Glasbrener) #3

Sad stuff. Especially since unless you do something to lower your metabolic insulin levels it’s essentially physically addictive and requires ever increasing doses while worsening the fundamental health issues. Increasing obesity, CHD and diabetes. :slightly_frowning_face:

(Arlene) #4

Why tricky? Just say no thanks. It’s our body, our choice.

(Karen Parrott) #5

It’s tricky if you cannot think for yourself. Most will cave into the pills in the doctors office. Yes. Tricky. Lack of critical thinking is a thing for many. Plus the varying info out there… I stand by my word- tricky.

(Siobhan) #6

Or just move away from the cholesterol hypothesis and admit statins don’t really do anything! There are statistics out there that tell the truth of how much they help prevent heart disease (e.g. not much at all).
It’s not even a useful drug and yet they pawn it off on people so often…
One of my doctors told me to take a statin, I told him to F off, using different words.
They can prescribe all they want, but it’s my choice if I fill the prescription. They work for me.

#7

And that’s where it gets tricky, the uninformed believe they NEED them when the dr. tells them they do. My mom was taking a statin for months, with my dad telling her she shouldn’t take them, and it wasn’t until I started telling her they were useless and dangerous PLUS making her watch the Fathead Movie that she stopped taking them.

(Michael Wallace Ellwood) #8

And remember, these same doctors were telling us for years how deadly saturated fat was, how we should avoid butter, and minimise eggs…

…of course, some of them still are. :frowning:

(Sheri Knauer) #9

There are so many people out there that believe whatever a doctor says is gospel. The doctor tells them to take a pill, they take a pill, no, or very few questions asked. The doctor says to eat “this way”, they eat that way. They come back to see the doctor a few months later and their health has declined. The doctor blames the patient. Oh you must not have been eating how I told you too or we need to increase your dosage, blah, blah, blah. Patient believes they are at fault. My father-in-law is a prime example. He has been taking statins (as well as a slew of other drugs) for over 25 years. Sure his total cholesterol and LDL look good on paper, yet he’s had a triple bypass, 2x, has a stent, and a pacemaker, and was diagnosed pre diabetic. But his cholesterol looks great! Whenever I see him (4 or 5x a year) we discuss diet (he asks me questions) and how sugar and carbs are no good. He agrees, and how we need healthy fats, yet then he will eat oatmeal for breakfast, bread with dinner, and says he’ll stick with the leaner cuts of meat since his cardiologist told him to. His motto is “Everything in moderation” Why should he believe someone who has had no formal medical training and whose cholesterol numbers are “out of control!” The cardiologist knows best since he is a heart specialist. “Mmmmm. OK. When is that next bypass scheduled for?”

Plus could you imagine how much revenue the pharmaceutical companies would lose if even only 50% of people taking statins decided to stop taking them?

My ex doctor wanted me to take statins because of my total cholesterol (318) and LDL (215) and totally disregarded my HDL (113) my triglycerides (54), very low IR score, and predominantly Pattern A LDL. I told him “No thank you and Buh Bye”. My husband was on statins for over 15 years and the doctor said he can stop taking them because his low cholesterol (total and LDL) and recheck in 3 months. In 3 months the numbers increased and my husband started to panic and wanted to start taking them again. I convinced him that he was fine and did not need to take statins. He still avoids eggs and butter and picks leaner cuts of meats but Im slowly working that keto charm on him.