In a previous post the skeptical cardiologist discussed his approach to a typical sixty-something male, Geo, who was “on the fence” about taking the statin drug his PCP had recommended (see here.)
After acquiring more information on his level of subclinical atherosclerosis (coronary calcium and vascular screening), and discussing the risks and benefits of statins for primary prevention, I wrote about his experience in using my recommended “compromise approach.”
This approach utilizes a low dose of rosuvastatin taken intermittently with the goal of minimizing any statin side effects, but obtaining some of the benefits of statin drugs on cardiovascular risk reduction.
It worked well for Geo; taking 5 mg rosuvastatin three times weekly lowered his LDL-C (bad cholesterol) by 50%, and he had absolutely no side effects when I reported on him 6 months after starting the drug.
However, when I stayed with Geo and his lovely wife, Wendy, over Thanksgiving in their Annapolis, Maryland house, Geo revealed that he had stopped taking his statin.
Like many patients, he was swayed by a news report suggesting an important “new study” that suggested there was no relationship between cholesterol and heart disease, and that statin drugs were dangerous and should be stopped.
At first I thought the story that he had read was the one I reported here which (appropriately) questions the benefit of statins for primary prevention in patients over the age of 75.
However, after a bit of searching, Geo told me the article that caused him to stop taking his statin was a UK Daily Mail one entitled:
‘No evidence’ having high levels of bad cholesterol causes heart disease, claim 17 physicians as they call on doctors to ‘abandon’ statins
The Daily Mail article says at one point
But the new study, based on data of around 1.3 million patients, suggests doling out statins as a main form of treatment for heart disease is of ‘doubtful benefit’.
Is this really a “new study” that contradicts the great body of evidence showing that statin treatment is safe and effective in preventing heart attacks and stroke in those at high risk for cardiovascular events?
In reality, this is an opinion piece published in a questionable journal* without any new research, and it is the opinion of a collection of well-known (approaching notorious) statin denialists, members of a cult-like organization called The International Network of Cholesterol Skeptics.(THINCS).
Larry Husten, who writes highly informed cardiac journalism at Cardiobrief, gives a good summary of their methods in this description of the authors of an editorial attacking the results of the JUPITER trial:
Nevertheless, the association of the authors with a group like THINCS raises some troublesome questions because, in fact, THINCS members don’t just object to one trial (JUPITER), or just one drug (rosuvastatin), or just the use of statins for primary prevention. They raise objections about ALL cholesterol-lowering trials, ALL cholesterol-lowering drugs, and the use of statins in ALL populations. They constantly harp on the dangerous side effects of statins, and exploit any bit of evidence they can find to launch their attacks, always ignoring the considerable evidence that doesn’t support their views. So the Archives paper on JUPITER is not really part of the scientific process, since the authors have no interest in the give and take of medicine and science. Their only interest is to attack, at any point, and on any basis, anything related to mainstream science about cholesterol.
The lead and corresponding author, Uffe Ravnskov is the founder of THINCS and author of The Cholesterol Myths – Exposing the Fallacy that Saturated Fat and Cholesterol Cause Heart Disease (2000), which is considered the bible of cholesterol contrarianism.
Ravnskov’s book has been severely criticized in Bob Carroll’s The Skeptic’s Dictionary, which outlines the distortions and deceptive techniques found in the cholesterol skeptics’ arguments.
Harriet Hall wrote an excellent analysis of THINCS 10 years ago at Science-Based Medicine and her concluding sentences are still highly relevant:
“to reject the cholesterol connection and statins entirely is to throw the baby out with the bathwater. In my opinion, THINCS is spreading misinformation that could lead patients to refuse treatment that might prolong their life or at least prevent heart attacks and strokes.”
Indeed, if they were able to convince a highly intelligent patient like Geo, with a science background who also had easy access to the advice of a forward thinking cardiologist to stop taking his statins, who knows how many thousands have been convinced to stop their medications.
So my best advice for Geo and all of you taking statins is the following:
- Make sure you really need to be on the drug after engaging in shared-decision making with your physician and learning all you can about your personal risk of cardiovascular disease, the benefits of statins for you, and the potential side effects.
- Once you’ve made a decision based on good information and physician recommendation, try to ignore the latest headlines or internet stories that imply some new and striking information that impacts your health-most of these are unimportant.
The evidence for the benefit of statins is based on a deep body of scientific work, which will not be changed by any one new study. There is a very strong consensus amongst scientists who are actively working in the field of atherosclerosis, and amongst physicians who are actively caring for patients, that statins are very beneficial and safe. This consensus is similar to the consensus about the value of vaccines.
Science moves incrementally, and new studies inform those with open minds. The studies in this area that have been most significant in the last few years have actually strengthened the concept that drugs which lower LDL-C without causing other issues lower cardiovascular risk (see here on PCSK9 inhibitors and here on ezetimibe.)
Incrementally Yours,
-ACP
N.B. *The Expert Review of Clinical Pharmacology”is an open access journal, many of which are predatory. Article are solicited and the authors pay to have their work published. For the article in question, the Western Vascular Institute payed the fee. It’s not clear that there is any peer-review process involved.
Some authors have suggested predatory journals are “the biggest threat to science since the inquisition”and I am very worried about the explosive growth in these very weak journals which exist solely to make money.
I realize that writing this piece will engender the wrath of many so before you leave comments impugning my integrity let me reiterate that I receive absolutely nothing from BIG PHARMA. In fact, by writing appropriate prescriptions for statin drugs I reduce my income as my compliant patients avoid hospital and office visits and all kinds of procedures for heart attacks and strokes!
12 thoughts on “Don’t Stop Taking Your Statin Cholesterol Drug Based On The Latest News Headline”
I’m reading your site as someone faced with the decision to start statin treatment at a relatively young age and trying to make sense of all the (mis) information around. I’m very grateful to have found your site as it has a wealth of information on the subject.
However, could you please revisit this article in light of the fact that Uffe Ravnskov (UR) et al have published peer reviewed articles in BMJ (e.g. https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/6/6/e010401, https://www.bmj.com/content/359/bmj.j4906.full ) which must be a step up from “The Expert Review of Clinical Pharmacology”. (In fact I find numerous peer-reviewed articles in medical journals, many pre-dating this blog post)
Reading his articles does not set off the “quack” bells that a lot of the Internet Doctor sites do, rather, he seems to set forth valid criticism of the science which backs todays widespread statin use.
In the end I’ll probably go with mainstream science as my guide but it would increase my confidence in the site to find counter arguments to the claims of bad science and a fairer critique of someone who appears to be an active member of the scientific community and not one of many Internet “Doctors” with questionable motives.
Tomas,
Thanks for your kind comments.
I’m aware of Dr. Ravnskov’s beliefs and writing. In fact, he recently sent me an email suggesting I change my views on statins and included links and pdfs to some of his writing. I feel that he and Malcom Kendrick are honestly convinced of the lack of benefit of statins in both primary and secondary prevention of CAD.
However, I still maintain what I wrote at the end of the piece you are commenting on and monitor this area closely
The evidence for the benefit of statins is based on a deep body of scientific work, which will not be changed by any one new study. There is a very strong consensus amongst scientists who are actively working in the field of atherosclerosis, and amongst physicians who are actively caring for patients, that statins are very beneficial and safe. This consensus is similar to the consensus about the value of vaccines.
Science moves incrementally, and new studies inform those with open minds. The studies in this area that have been most significant in the last few years have actually strengthened the concept that drugs which lower LDL-C without causing other issues lower cardiovascular risk (see here on PCSK9 inhibitors and here on ezetimibe.)
As you can probably tell from reading my site I don’t believe that all saturated fat contributes to CAD, neither do I believe dietary cholesterol contributes. Thus, I am quite skeptical about the underpinnings of the diet-heart hypothesis. The data for statin trials and my own experience, however, inform me that statins are beneficial overall.
Appreciate your balanced comments on this contentious issue. I have struggled similarly as your patient George. I have via lifestyle changes, excercise, diet, and fasting been able to significantly improve my lipid profile. Chol 189; HDL 56, Trig 77, LDL 117 and LDL Particles 1482. BMI 23.6 BP 115/65 and HbA1C 5.3. However am 64 and have a CAC of 175. Hence have agreed to start 5mg Rosuvastatin every other day to drive especially the particle number down further. (It was 2100 this past June). My Cardiologist said that if it wasn’t for the CAC score statins would likely not be recommended. Do you have any other similar patient profiles?
I have many similar to you. I can’t recall if I’ve mentioned this on my blog but if you go to the MESA risk calculator (https://www.mesa-nhlbi.org/MESACHDRisk/MesaRiskScore/RiskScore.aspx) you can calculate your 10 year risk of CV events with and without the CAC. Yours is 7.6% with the CAC of 175 (assuming you are white, and have no family history of premature CAD) and it is 4.2% if we don’t factor in the CAC.
The CAC puts you above the magic 7.5% level at which a discussion statins should be initiated.
You’ve done a remarkable job of improving your #s (and risk) by lifestyle but haven’t eliminated it.
Thanks very much for your response. Your assumptions are correct. I have also reviewed the new Cholesterol guidelines which in my case would recommend a statin if the CAC score is over 0. In your practice do you look to target an LDL C level or LDL particle number, or something else?
A few years ago I was put on atorvastatin for the simple reason that my total cholesterol level had breached the protocol maximum. So fine, I took it for three months. I was ill with flu/cold/fever symptoms for that whole time. Strangely, I had no fever – all those sore muscles notwithstanding. Only then did I happen to read about the various side effects, so you can’t blame “nocebo”.
Quit the pill. Completely recovered in about ten days. Reluctantly rechallenged. Fell ill again. Quit. End of.
Sure, sure, other weaker statins or a smaller dose might have allowed me to avoid side effects. Why play with fire to effect even less than no benefit?
The vast majority of those in my position – 93% I believe – get zero benefit. The remainder get some “end point” benefit; very few of those win the life lottery. I strongly suspect that far more than the number who get any benefit are the numbers of those who quit for various annoying or debilitating or downright dangerous side-effect reasons. (Why does the structure for officially reporting failure leave so much to be desired?)
Having looked at THINCS thought as well as rafts of articles on pubmed, medscape, and medpage WITH AN OPEN MIND (Hard to do!), I now refuse blood testing of my cholesterol.
Definitely your decision to make and I’m glad it was after perusing rafts of papers rather than a newspaper headline
“Increasing statins dose and patient adherence could save more lives ” published in the UK by Imperial College – https://www.imperial.ac.uk/news/189407/increasing-statins-dose-patient-adherence-could/
The research was funded by Amgen Europe, which manufactures the cholesterol-lowering PCSK9 inhibitor evolocumab (Repatha).
You have to laugh!
All Doctors and Patients should fully understand the difference between Relative and Absolute risk.
Then both Doctors and Patients can make a more informed decision………… to take/prescribe or not take/prescribe statins.
My cholesterol level is marginally high. Perhaps that is normal for me. My G P always makes vague noises about me starting statins, but I can tell his heart is not in it. My priorities are getting my weight down, keeping my blood pressure down and keeping my Hba1c in the normal range. The benefits of doing these things seem non-controversial, but still take a lot of mental energy. I would also like to get off anti-coagulants and reduce my blood pressure medications if further weight loss makes this possible. I do not want to take any more pills.
If you can accomplish those goals with lifestyle change that is always best
I LOVE my rosuvastatin… 🙂