4/30/13

The risks of high blood cholesterol


Looking at new views on the importance of blood lipid levels, especially the so-called bad cholesterol (LDL) and triglycerides, which question the validity of treatments intended to control dislipidemia, certain clarifications seem to be important.

My view is of a patient, a patient with proved organic tendency to exaggerated levels of cholesterol and the burden of atheromas, that diminishes my possibilities of a full and healthy life.

Some people questioned and denie the validity of anti-cholesterol treatments, especially those using statins. They are called "the deceitfulness of statin" or "statins scam".

Given this two clarifications.

There are many scientific studies that support the relationship between some types of blood cholesterol and the risk of heart problems, by the narrowing of the coronary arteries (due to the formation of atheroma).

An important amount of work tested the effectiveness of statins in the control of blood cholesterol levels.

As a seemingly opposite I mention the importance of inflammatory processes, especially at arterial walls level, in the formation of atheromatous plaques. This fact is also scientifically proved and is of great importance, so that, without inflammation of the vascular endothelium atheromas will nopt appear. Therefore it seems reasonable to require technical advise on substances that indicate the presence of inflammatory processes.

Independently and without reference to the critical importance of cholesterol, scientists have been working on the revision of the test parameters that should be used to assess the risk of coronary artery and other vascular problems. In this regard, new ways to measure lipid levels in blood and the introduction of measuring the presence of calcium in the arterial wall, appear to be of great importance.

It therefore seems relevant or necessary, rather than denying, to provide new tests and new treatments, according to a different approach about the results of routine laboratory tests, appears to be the way.

As a final note, it has been shown that statins improve endothelial dysfunction, are anti-inflammatory, antiproteolytic, antithrombogenic and furthermore, inhibit the new plaque formation and stabilize the existing ones.

So, being an avowed opponent of the trade policies of many pharmaceutical companies and a fervent promoter of herbal treatment, but with an atheromatous plaque in the left carotid artery and another in the external iliac artery, Should I say, after years of successful control, "Statins are a hoax, are scams, I stop taking them"? And to
who I would claim later, from a wheelchair or from ....?

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