Cleveland Clinic's Chief of cardiology, and a staff member of the Johns Hopkins Ciccarone Center for the Prevention of Heart Disease and the American College of Cardiologyprevention (Wouldn't you like to see that second one on a business card?) weighed in on the cholesterol-lowering (um, un-lowering) drug Vytorin.
1. The drugs have reduced cholesterol but failed to prevent heart attacks or other life-threatening events.
Gosh, maybe high cholesterol isn't related to heart attacks. I wonder if my doc who wants me to lower my cholesterol knows that.
2. Vytorin and Zetia which they take together usually - id not slow the growth of artery blockages more than generic Zocor.
3. Nobody knows why drugs that lower bad cholesterol doesn't reduce plaque.
(Um, maybe there isn't a connection?)
4. The drug makers are blaming the patients for having cholesterol that was so high in the first place.
But, isn't that why they took the drugs?
5. Bottom line - Zetia and Vytorin should not be used as first-line drugs. Use them in addition to statins that aren't doing a complete job.
Better yet, eat right, exercise more.
I wonder if my doctor knows.
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