Do I Really Need A Cholesterol Drug?

So you go to see your doctor for your annual checkup- feeling just fine- and next thing you know they are telling you that you need to take a medication to lower cholesterol. Sound familiar? You are not alone.

I'm not quite sure when or where it happened, but many doctors today have become statin crazy. Statins include well-known medications such as atorvastatin (Lipitor), simvastatin (Zocor), lovastatin (Mevacor), pravastatin (Pravachol), rosuvastatin (Crestor) and others. And they are everywhere.

Statin drugs are also well-known for some disturbing side-effects, including causing severe liver damage, muscle pain and weakness, and digestive disturbances. So do the benefits outweigh the risks?

That is a question only you can decide.

The Framingham Risk Calculator

Fortunately, it is relatively simple to get some reliable information regarding your risk of cardiovascular disease. A tool called the Framingham Risk Calculator does just that. The Framingham Risk Calculator was developed by the National Cholesterol Education Program and is based on guidelines obtained from the Third Report of the Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults (Adult Treatment Panel III).

The Framingham Risk Calculator will calculate your 10-year risk of cardiovascular disease based on a few pieces of information. In order to use the Framingham Risk Calculator, you will need to know your total cholesterol, HDL, and triglyceride levels, as well as your systolic blood pressure. Systolic blood pressure is the top number in a typical blood pressure measurement.

Before you use the Framingham Risk Calculator, you might want pick a number ahead of time that represents the level of risk that you are comfortable with. 50% 25% 10% 5%? It is totally up to you to decide what level of risk of cardiovascular disease you are willing to live with. It is not up to your doctor, or your insurance company, to decide this for you.

If you use the Framingham Risk Calculator, and decide that you would like to lower your risk of cardiovascular disease, now is the time to talk to your doctor about the options, which include lifestyle changes (smoking, alcohol, diet and nutrition, exercise), dietary supplements, and pharmaceutical medications.

Other Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Disease

It is also important to keep in mind that there are other risk factors for cardiovascular disease besides cholesterol and triglycerides. You are a whole person, not just a set of numbers on a piece of paper. A holistic view of cardiovascular disease risk takes into account several other factors, including family history, lifestyle, age, weight, other conditions, and overall health.

Inflammation also plays a key role in the development of high cholesterol. It is important to gain some insight into which factors are at play in your specific case. If, for example, the fat in your diet isn't contributing significantly to having high cholesterol, lowering your dietary fat intake is likely not going to be of much benefit.

Benefits of Statin Drugs

There are some benefits to cholesterol lowering drugs. One promising benefit of statins appears to be their anti-inflammatory properties, which help stabilize the lining of blood vessels. Statins also help relax blood vessels, lowering blood pressure. Other benefits of statins currently being investigated include risk reduction of arthritis and bone fractures, some forms of cancer, dementia and kidney disease. Statins may also be helpful in controlling the body's immune system response after an organ transplant.

Make A Choice

Taking a statin drug without first giving a genuine effort to make some lifestyle changes is like drawing the "Go To Jail" card in Monopoly. Remember that one? It says "Go Directly to Jail. Do Not Pass Go, Do Not Collect $200." There are legitimate reasons why one would choose to take a statin drug. However, this choice should be taken in full realization that once statin therapy has begun, it will be for life as far as most doctors are concerned.

Once you make a decision on a course of action, it is best to stick to it for at least 120 days to see what kind of results you achieve. Giving it a half-baked effort, even if you choose to take statin drugs, will only be a disservice to both you and your doctor.

After the 120 days, it is time to get reevaluated. Keep in mind that cholesterol levels can change according to the time of year, so make sure you and your doctor account for this effect.

Dr. Matthew Marturano offers naturopathic medicine for holistic health and wellness. He serves on the Board of Directors for the Michigan Association of Naturopathic Physicians and is the Director of Strategic Development for Orchid Holistic Search.