Cholesterol Pill and Cancer Risk
Several UK newspapers reported on the possible cancer risk to those taking the drug Inegy, used to treat high cholesterol. Inegy combines the widely used statin drug simvastatin with a new ingredient called ezetimibe.
A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine yesterday found that there were 105 cases of cancer in people taking Inegy compared with only 70 who were taking a placebo.
Researchers have also said that Inegy had little effect in reducing the chance of strokes or heart attacks.
More proof needed
According to an article by Rebecca Smith in the Daily Telegraph, Prof Heinz Drexel, of the University of Innsbruck in Austria and spokesman for the European Society of Cardiology, said: "I am not sure that the efficacy is proven and I am not sure that the safety is proven. I wouldn’t take the drug myself.
If the need is urgent…
"In patients with an urgent need to reduce cholesterol I would give them the drug but they are the exception …It is being more widely used than I think it should be. We can use something else in patients whose cholesterol is not sky high."
In the last two years there have been about 300,000 prescriptions for Inegy dispensed in England and Wales.
Other research
An analysis carried out by a team at Oxford University also said two other trials had not found the same link and thought the findings were probably due to chance.
British and American regulators are looking in to the findings but doctors have not been advised to stop prescribing the drug.
Beeblog’s advice
Of course regular readers of beebleblog will know that there is another way to reduce cholesterol and that is to change your lifestyle. As the professor said there are some instances where cholesterol can be at dangerous levels and medication is needed to drastically change cholesterol levels. However in all other cases there is no point in prescribing a drug if there is not going to be a lifestyle change. It would be similar to ordering diet coke with your MacDonalds; a half hearted attempt to try and make something healthy that can never be.
My advice if you have high cholesterol is to take up some form of regular exercise that takes your heart rate up to at least 65% of your maximum heart rate (MHR) for at least 20 minutes 3 times per week. Change your diet by reducing saturated, trans fats and high sugar content produce and increase your intake of fibre, vitamins and minerals by eating more fruit and vegetables. Make sure you always consult your doctor before making a lifestyle change and seek professional advice where possible on your exercise and diet.
Good luck to all of you trying to lower your cholesterol.
Resources and further reading:
Daily Telegraph:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/global/main.jhtml?xml=/global/2008/09/03/noindex/cholesterolpill.xml
Daily Mail:
