The relentless march of the statins continues... with yet another new study trying to scare more people into taking these needless cholesterol meds.
Researchers say nearly 20 percent of all stroke patients don't get statin prescriptions after that brush with death –-despite guidelines that call for these meds for every single one of them.
But who cares about the guidelines--because the real answer to surviving a stroke isn't in how many pills you pop... it's in how you change your life afterwards.
In the new study, researchers looked at data on 173,284 stroke patients hospitalized between January 2005 and December 2007, and found that 83.5 percent were given cholesterol meds overall.
The numbers rose over time, with 75.7 percent of patients given the statins at the start of the study, and nearly 85 percent by the end, according to the research published in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association.
Naturally, this study didn't compare the statin-free stroke patients to those who were given the meds... or lifestyle changes versus drugs. They just accept as a given that every single stroke patient should be given a statin prescription.
But what if that just wasn't true?
After all, there are plenty of studies that show how bad these meds are... and the news gets worse with each new paper that gets published. The latest study, published in the British Medical Journal, finds shockingly high levels of kidney failure, liver disorders, cataracts and debilitating –-and possibly permanent--muscle problems.
Even studies on stroke survivors have revealed plenty of reasons not to gulp down these pills. One study found statins can increase the risk of a hemorrhagic stroke in stroke survivors by up to 60 percent, and a 2006 study found that statin-swallowers don't live any longer than those who don't take these meds.
Remember, people were surviving strokes long before statins were ever approved. And there's not a single thing a cholesterol med can do for you that you can't do on your own with simple common-sense (and side-effect free) dietary and lifestyle changes.
Of course, one of the keys to living a long and healthy life after a stroke is recognizing that you've had one in the first place.
Immediate treatment is far more important than any drugs your doc may want to give you afterwards... but too many people don't know when to seek that treatment or how to get it.
A new survey out of Michigan finds that only 14 percent of people would call 911 for three typical stroke symptoms. And even among people who knew these were stroke symptoms, just 17.6 percent said they'd make that call.
And remember, 911 is definitely the number to call--don't waste time talking to your doctor's receptionist, and don't drive yourself or let someone else drive you to the emergency room.
If you've ever walked into an ER, you know how it is--you can waste crucial time just trying to get someone to talk to you.
Arrive in an ambulance, however, and you go to the front of the line. Not only that, but your potentially life-saving treatment can begin the moment the paramedics arrive.
Typical stroke symptoms include slurred speech, numbness on one side of the body or in the face, sudden vision problems, difficulty walking or talking, confusion and a sudden--and quite severe--headache.
If you experience any of those (or some combination of them), don't waste time--call 911. Get immediate help... then turn your life around and avoid a second stroke the right way.
P.S. For more on the natural road to recovery, click here to read "Fighting back after stroke."
On a mission for your health,
Ed Martin
Editor, House Calls
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