Overview
Heart disease is still the number one killer in the world, yet most people don’t actually understand what markers put them most at risk. It’s so much more than just LDL cholesterol.
Statins have become the panacea for anyone with LDL that’s just a little off, yet most people (and even many doctors) aren’t fully informed of the risks versus the benefits of this drug, let alone aware of other treatment options for heart disease.
Today on The Doctor’s Farmacy, I talked to Dr. Aseem Malhotra about the real data on statins, heart disease, metabolic syndrome, and so much more.
When we only look at LDL cholesterol, we’re missing the whole picture. It’s not the predictor of heart disease it’s been made out to be, which is why statins aren’t the saving grace they’ve been hailed as either. Statins have been shown to reduce LDL cholesterol in some people, but they are most effective in those who’ve already had a heart attack or have severe blockages in their arteries. Seventy-five percent of statin prescriptions are for people who do not fall into these categories.
Trials have shown that patients that took statins religiously, every day, for about five years, only gained an average life expectancy of roughly four days. And in real life, seventy percent of people taking statins stop after a year because of the side effects.
I’m not against medications by any means, but I absolutely support informed consent—and most people taking statins are not fully informed. When it comes to heart health, diet and lifestyle are at the forefront of prevention and disease reversal, and we need to think about sugar, triglycerides, HDL cholesterol, and other markers in addition to LDL cholesterol.
Dr. Malhotra and I talk about the real factors behind heart disease, how to protect your own metabolic health, and so much more in this episode.
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