Seven Steps to Stop a Heart Attack by Dr. Bob Arnot

Author:Dr. Bob Arnot
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Published: 2004-07-15T00:00:00+00:00

DRUGS THAT LOWER CHOLESTEROL

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STATINS

These are the most powerful and important drugs currently available for those who have blockages in their coronary arteries. The ability of statins to lower levels of bad LDL is unprecedented. Their most powerful outcome is the proven ability to reduce your chance of having a heart attack or stroke, or requiring bypass surgery or balloon therapy. They are easy to take, are well accepted by patients, and have few interactions with other drugs or side effects. Studies have reported 20 to 60 percent lower LDL cholesterol levels in patients on statins. Some statins also reduce triglyceride levels and produce a modest increase in good cholesterol levels.

Why do statins work better than any other drugs? They inhibit the key enzyme that controls the rate of cholesterol production in the liver. Statins also increase the liver’s ability to remove the LDL cholesterol already in the blood. Since most of your cholesterol is made by your body, rather than coming from what you eat, this is the most important method of achieving substantial reductions in blood cholesterol. So convinced are the experts of its benefits that they have issued new guidelines increasing the numbers of Americans targeted for cholesterol-lowering drugs from 13 million to 36 million.

When these cholesterol-lowering statins first came out, I did a television segment for CBS’s This Morning, featuring a middle-aged man. For the first time in years, he finally achieved a normal cholesterol reading. He had tried every medication and diet. I asked him what he liked best about taking this new class of drugs. He looked at me mischievously and said, “Oh, let me see, burgers, fries, shakes, Boston cream pie.” He kidded about opening a line of steak houses where he’d serve filet mignon as an entrée and statins for dessert! His doctor was miffed, because he had given the patient strict instructions about diet and exercise. Still, the patient’s record low cholesterol level had him very excited.

Don’t think that if you pop a statin along with a bacon cheeseburger you cancel out the effects of the beef. The saturated fats found in red meats increase your chance of MI, even if you are on statins. That’s because saturated fats can harm the key endothelial cells after even a single meal. Remember, endothelial cells produce chemicals that allow blood vessels to dilate. Saturated fats damage the production of these chemicals and the endothelial cells. For men, that’s even more important, since anything that damages endothelial function hurts erectile function.

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