16 May
2012
NHS
'should consider giving statins to healthy people'
By James
Gallagher Health
and science reporter, BBC News
Should we
give drugs (in this case Statins) to healthy people? Very healthy people with a
low Cholesterol level could sometimes suffer a heart attack. Several experts
say that if we give Statics to all people older than 50 it could prevent 10.000
of heart strokes and safe 2000 lives every year. This also means that the NHS
can save money by handing out these drugs. On the other hand Statics could show side effects: liver problems,
kidney failure, muscle weakness and an increased risk of diabetes.
Comment:
Handing out
drugs to healthy people is not new. Very young children take pills to prevent
caries and most of us are vaccinated against several diseases. However is
seems to me that the side effects are pretty serious. There is no information
about percentages of people who suffer from these side effects and how serious
these effects are. In this article there is nothing said about free choice. I
think that everybody should be giving the opportunity to take Statin. It must
be clear though what the figures are on the side effects.
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