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Thread: Cholesterol - any doctor here ?

  1. #41
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    Quote Originally Posted by CL View Post
    Must admit this thread has got my attention. I was wondering, if a person has a normal cholesterol value of say 5.5 but is outside the statistical normal range I.e. 5.0 what negative effects would forcing this down below 5.0 with statins produce? Am I right in thinking the body then wouldn't have enough cholesterol for normal functions?
    Unless you have known vascular disease - heart attack/angina/stroke/claudication - there is no meaningful benefit from taking a statin. 100 people need to be treated for two and a half years to prevent one event; there is no prolongation of life. I stopped more statins than I started - some nasty side effects, not just the well known muscle aches and pains.

  2. #42
    Quote Originally Posted by CL View Post
    Must admit this thread has got my attention. I was wondering, if a person has a normal cholesterol value of say 5.5 but is outside the statistical normal range I.e. 5.0 what negative effects would forcing this down below 5.0 with statins produce? Am I right in thinking the body then wouldn't have enough cholesterol for normal functions?
    I'm lost in the logic. How can one be "normal" and yet "outside the statistical range" at the same time? Surely they are mutually exclusive...
    Taking the decision to take or stop statin is not a DIY-thingy. Everyone should do it in consultation with the Dr.

  3. #43
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    Quote Originally Posted by Gambatte View Post
    I'm lost in the logic. How can one be "normal" and yet "outside the statistical range" at the same time? Surely they are mutually exclusive...
    Taking the decision to take or stop statin is not a DIY-thingy. Everyone should do it in consultation with the Dr.
    Let's say you have a normal cholesterol level of 5. Normal in the sense that you're eating healthily, getting exercise and free from disease. But the 'normal range' that the doctor relies on says you should be within 4. He then says your cholesterol is high and recommends treating it. That's what I'm getting at.

  4. #44
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mike T View Post
    Unless you have known vascular disease - heart attack/angina/stroke/claudication - there is no meaningful benefit from taking a statin. 100 people need to be treated for two and a half years to prevent one event; there is no prolongation of life. I stopped more statins than I started - some nasty side effects, not just the well known muscle aches and pains.
    What about Diabetics Mike-T, would they be justified in taking them? The other thing I'd be interested to hear from you is why they're being pushed on so many people and what sort of side effects you saw from them?

  5. #45
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    What I'm interested in here is what is the relationship between high or 'high normal' cholesterol and the furring up of arteries I.e atheroma. Does forcing down cholesterol with statins or other meds prevent or reduce this furring effect?
    Last edited by CL; 19-11-2020 at 07:34 PM.

  6. #46
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    There are "tools" to help people to individualise their risk - QRISK2 - as well as NICE documents - https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg1...-pdf-243780159 to help people decide whether or not statins are for them. Diabetes certainly increases risk, as does, of course, age.

    As well as aches and pains I saw depression, severe headaches, abnormal kidney and liver function. Some of these side effects were severe and life changing. I also saw a death from renal failure because of a drug interaction between a statin and another drug.

    I do not know my own cholesterol; having no symptoms of vascular disease - nor anything else - I am in the category of people whose benefit in terms of prolongation of life from statins is thought to be non existent.

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