Statins and Your Health
Statins and Cancer Benefits
Have you wondered how taking one prescription drug affects your taking of another? I have. A November 24th article in the New York Times shares new information on statins and cancer benefits.
Here's the good news: "Cholesterol-lowering statin drugs don't just lower the risk of heart attacks. They may also help some cancer patients live longer."
Rese.rchers studied 38,QOO Australian wome.n recently diagnose with various cance.rs
(breast, colorectal, and melanoma) who also took statins for lowering their blood pressures. The statins, lipid-lowering medicines, included atorvastatin (Lipitor), simvastatin (Zocor), and rosuvastatin (Crestor).
They found that for each 10% increase in faithful taking of the statins, the women experienced an 8% reduction in breast cancer and colorectal cancer mortality. The findings were adjusted for the age, tumor cell type, use of chemotherapy, diabetes and many other variables.
Admittedly, this was an observational study and does not prove causation. The results need to be confirmed with clinical trials. It does give comfort to those women who feel that they are taking too many prescriptions, to know that at least two of them can be mutually beneficial.
— Norm Thomas
Originally published in October:
Cholesterol-lowering statin drugs, one of the most popular medications worldwide, may become more widely used. Evidence grows of their safety and value for seniors. Previous studies for their approval tested only younger persons.
A French study of 120,000 seniors ages 75 to 79, who had been taking statins for up to 4 years, found that the 10% who stopped taking the drug were admitted to hospital for cardiovascular events 25-30% more often than those who continued taking a statin.
A study in Israel following 20,000 older adults for ten years found that those who faithfully took their statins were 34% less likely to die than those irregular in statin usage.
Statins are found to reduce recurrence of cancers. Among 2,000 survivors of early-stage breast cancer, those who started a statin within three years of diagnosis had a decreased recurrence rate at their 5-year anniversaries. In a John Hopkins' study of 10,000 ovarian cancer patients, there was a 40% reduction in deaths among those who had used statins either before or after their diagnosis.
Recent studies also suggest that memory decline for seniors is blunted for those taking statins. A Swedish team of researchers found beneficial effects on reaction time and fluid intelligence among statin takers over 65.
Personally, I have been on various statins for over thirty years with no adverse side effects. Genetically, I am predisposed to have cardiovascular disease, and I'm encouraged by these latest findings, as I hope you are.