Study: Obesity is a considerable comorbide problem with statins

Reference

suugiyama t, Tsugawa y, tseng ch, Kobayashi y, shapiro mf. Different temporal trends in the calorie and fat intake between statin consumers and non-consumers in adults in the USA: Völlerei in the period of statine? Jama intern. April 24, 2014.

Design

This study included a repeated cross -sectional design using data from participants of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1999–2010).

participant

A nationwide representative sample of 27,886 adults aged 20 years or older

target parameter

A linear model was created to calculate calorie and fat intake. Changes in the body mass index (BMI) between statin consumers and non-Statin consumers were also measured.

most important knowledge

Statin consumers took 192 more calories every day from 2009 to 2010 than in the period from 1999 to 2000. This calorie increase was associated with a weight gain of £ 6 to 11 in the same period. In the case of non-statin consumers, no significant changes in eating habits or weight gain were observed. From 2009 to 2010, the calorie intake of statin consumers was 9.6 % higher ( p = 0.2) than in the period 1999 to 2000. In the same period, no significant changes were observed in the non -user group. Over time, the fat intake for statin consumers increased by 14.4 % ( p = 0.007), but did not change in non -users. The BMI rose by 1.3 in the statin consumers and only 0.4 ( p = 0.02) in the non -consumer group. These new findings indicate that the BMI in the group of people who took statins rose faster than in the group that did not take any statins. It also shows that over time the calorie and fat intake increased in people who take statin medication.

effects on practice

There are overwhelming scientific evidence that increased cholesterol and triglyceride values ​​significantly increase the risk of dying from cardiovascular diseases. However, it is important to note that more than half of the people who die from a heart attack or stroke every year have low to normal cholesterol levels. This fact has led to more intensive lipid-reducing strategies with statins in order to lower the low-density lipoprotein cholesterol to even lower values. The Statin debate is about risk vs.. It has long been known that statin medications have many side effects, including: ¹

• Statin-induced myopathy and rhubdomyolysis that can be fatal
• hepatotoxicity and reduced liver function
• neuropathy: The risk of nerve damage is 26 times higher for statin consumers than in the general population
• impaired intellectual function with longer use
• possibly increased risk of diabetes, especially in women
• increased muscle damage through physical activity and reduced physical performance
• deterioration in energy levels and fatigue after effort in about 20 % of cases.

This latest study illustrates the potential damage associated with these medication. Obesity is an essential comorbid factor for many diseases, including cardiovascular diseases and stroke. ^{2.3 and yet more than two thirds of the American adults are overweight or obese, which means that they are exposed to a significant risk for these diseases-exactly the diseases that are supposed to prevent statin medication.}

The fact that these drugs contribute to obesity epidemic is clinically worrying; However, other factors question their use. The effectiveness of statin medication has been examined and research shows that statine actually does not reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases in the majority of the people who take these medication. A comprehensive literature search, which was published by Sultan and Hynes in 2013, focused particularly on large -scale, randomized, controlled studies and came to the conclusion that there is "a categorical lack of evidence of the use of statin therapy in primary prevention.

In November 2013, the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association announced the expansion of the statin usage guidelines, which will certainly lead to more patients prescribing these drugs. ^{6 In principle, more Americans will take an ineffective drug with known harmful side effects that probably lead to weight gain. This proves a major disadvantage for the patient. Before these drugs are used in clinical practice, alternative treatment options should be examined. In addition, an integrative approach, nutritional counseling, lifestyle counseling (e.g. movement, stress management, sleep) and suitable nutritional supplements should be used to support patients in stopping statins. This is something that patients are already looking for, since 25 % of adults who take statin medication, cancel intake within 6 months and even 60 % within 2 years.}