<< I know a very well credentialed young doc who
insists that statins are efficacious in preventing the
brain changes that lead to Alzheimer's. >>


Okay, but heart disease is the number one cause of
death in the U.S., and statins are primarily
presecribed for cholesterol-lowering purposes.  One
population for which this is inappropriate is
undiagnosed thyroid patients, who often have high
cholesterol.  In this age of managed care and
minimizing tests for cost controls, doctors often
don't do thyroid tests to rule out thyroid disease as
the cause of high cholesterol.  So patients whose high
cholesterol -- as well as other thyroid-related
symptoms -- could be easily resolved with (relatively
inexpensive) thyroid medication are instead given a
prescription for a statin, treating a symptom, not the
cause of their high cholesterol.  Experts estimate as
many as 12 million or more people in the U.S. may be
undiagnosed thyroid patients.


<< ...I realize that some compounds, like aspirin,
may, on balance, be beneficial. >>

Aspirin has been around for over 100 years.  When
we've had as long experience with statins as we do
with aspirin, we'll have a lot more more
information/experience to decide if it's really a
"wonder drug".


<<  The problem is separating the truth from the hype.
There is paleo hype as there is Atkins hype,
Merck hype, AMA hype, etc >>


Indeed, there has been a lot of hype about statins --
one doctor claimed somewhat jokingly that they should
be put in the water supply!

This link indicates concerns of both professionals and
lay people about the overprescription of statins:

http://www.researchprotection.org/infomail/03/07/11.html



Lynda Bryson
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