OT - front page headline in todays local rag --------->

Yeah putting even more people on medications is hardly something to cheer. However, the odds of dieing of heart disease are 1 in 5, so anything that can potentially reduce those odds is a godsend in my mind.

StealthGuardian said...
Roughly half the cholesterol panel members have financial ties to makers of heart drugs, but panel leaders said no one with industry connections could vote on the recommendations.

Follow the money.

How odd that this article comes out after the Heart of the Matter segment on ABC. Cholesterol levels aren't a good predictor of heart disease - more than 40% of people with heart incidents have low cholesterol so why would it make sense to put people on statin drugs for preventative care?

The real cause of heart disease

I am wondering if you bothered to read the article and not just the headline. The new guidelines are: to address the fact that statin use not hitting low cholesterol levels are what lower heart attack risk in at risk groups, drops cholesterol targets, will result in doctors using just a single generic rather that multiple statins until they hit cholesterol targets, and encourages lifestyle changes rather than adding another prescription.

Oh and you did read your quote that states doctors couldn't vote if they took pharma money? Guidelines that tell doctors to use one generic rather than piggyback them with a couple brandnames isn't good for big pharma, right?

Especially since there are foods that can be eaten to naturally lower cholesterol levels...almonds is one that comes to mind right now, I know there are more.