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Q: Why is it important to monitor use of Statin drugs with regular blood test? A: Statin use should
always be monitored
for adverse effects
including liver
dysfunction, muscle
pain and kidney failure.
Maron DJ, Fazio S, Linton MF. Current
perspectives on statins. Circulation.
2000 Jan 18;101(2):207-13.
A newly synthesized
photostable retinol derivative (retinyl N-formyl aspartamate) for photodamaged skin. Lee MS et al. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology- 2006 08 (Vol. 55, Issue
2).
The statins (or HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors) form a class of hypolipidemic agents, used
as pharmaceutical agents to lower cholesterol levels in people with or at risk for
cardiovascular disease. They lower cholesterol by inhibiting the enzyme HMG-CoA
reductase, which is the rate-limiting enzyme of the mevalonate pathway of cholesterol
synthesis. Inhibition of this enzyme in the liver stimulates LDL receptors, resulting in an
increased clearance of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) from the bloodstream and a
decrease in blood cholesterol levels. The first results can be seen after one week of use
and the effect is maximal after four to six weeks.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statin
Atherosclerosis and heart disease?
Cholesterol is critical to the normal function of every cell in the body. However, it also
contributes to the development of atherosclerosis, a condition in which
cholesterol-containing plaques form within the arteries. These plaques block the arteries
and reduce the flow of blood to the tissues that the arteries supply. When plaques
rupture, a blood clot forms on the plaque, thereby further blocking the artery and
reducing the flow of blood. When blood flow is reduced sufficiently in the arteries that
supply blood to the heart, the result is angina (chest pain) or a heart attack. If the clot
occurs on plaques in the brain, the result is a stroke. Plaques and clots occurring on
plaques in the leg cause intermittent claudication (pain in the legs while walking). By
reducing the production of cholesterol, statins are able to slow the formation of new
plaques and occasionally can reduce the size of plaques that already exist. In addition,
through mechanisms that are not well understood, statins also stabilize plaques and make
them less prone to rupturing and forming clots.
http://www.medicinenet.com/statins/article.htm
Atorvastatin?
Researchers from the Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, Campus Bio-Medico
University of Rome presented data today at the American College of Cardiology's 56th
Annual Scientific Session that shows that short-term pre-treatment with atorvastatin 80 mg
and 40 mg reduced the risk of major cardiovascular events at 30 days by 88 percent
compared with placebo when given to patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) prior
to coronary angioplasty or stenting. The ARMYDA-ACS (Atorvastatin for Reduction of
MYocardial Damage during Angioplasty-Acute Coronary Syndromes) Randomized Trial is
the first controlled trial of pre-treatment with statins before early intervention in patients
with ACS. This study will also be published in the March 27th issue of the Journal of the
American College of Cardiology.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=66099
Should I be on a statin?
Whether you need to be on a statin depends on your cholesterol level along with your
other risk factors for cardiovascular disease. If you have high cholesterol, the numbers
alone won't tell you or your doctor the whole story. The decision to start a statin drug
depends, in part, on how high your cholesterol is and what your individual cardiovascular
risk is over the next 10 years.
Heart Attack Risk Factors?
High cholesterol is only one of a number of risk factors for heart attack and stroke. Your
cholesterol level is considered along with other factors including:
Family history
Lifestyle
Blood pressure
Age
General health
Presence of diabetes
Excess weight
Smoking
If the only risk factor you have is high cholesterol, you may not need medication because
your risk of heart attack and stroke is probably already low.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/statins/CL00010
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