Review Finds Statins Not Tied to Mental Decline
Huffington Post - Statins, drugs that prevent heart attack may not be linked to mental decline
On the basis of anecdotes, the FDA issued warning that statins cause decline in mental faculties. However recent reviews do not seem to support the FDA announcement. Here are the results of the review posted at NewsMax Health last November 19
Cholesterol-lowering statin drugs do not appear to raise the risk of memory loss or dementia, a new review finds.
"In February 2012, largely based on anecdotal reports, the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration issued a safety statement warning patients of possible
adverse mental effects associated with statin use," said senior study
author Dr. Emil deGoma, medical director of the preventive
cardiovascular program at the University of Pennsylvania's Perelman School of Medicine.
Here is the excerpt of the post:
Cholesterol-lowering statin drugs do not appear to raise the risk of memory loss or dementia, a new review finds.
"In February 2012, largely based on anecdotal reports, the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration issued a safety statement warning patients of possible
adverse mental effects associated with statin use," said senior study
author Dr. Emil deGoma, medical director of the preventive
cardiovascular program at the University of Pennsylvania's Perelman School of Medicine.
xxx
In addition, deGoma said, doctors should not assume statins are to
blame when someone taking them becomes forgetful. "We may be doing more
harm than good if we withhold or stop statins -- medications proven to
reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke -- due to fears that statins
might possibly cause memory loss," he said.
The report was published in the Nov. 19 issue of the journal Annals of Internal Medicine.
Dr. Gregg Fonarow, a spokesman for the American Heart Association,
said statins are important in reducing the risk of heart attacks and
strokes, and have been proven safe and effective numerous times.
This should be reassuring to many Americans who are taking statins. However the FDA sees no reason to withdraw the warning according to FDA spokeswoman Morgan Liscinsky.
There are drugs that can lessen cholesterol:
1. Asi Tava,
2. Brown rice
3. Okra
4. Turmeric