Statin Drugs Are Now Available Over the Counter (U.K.)

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http://www.mercola.com/2004/aug/11/statin_drugs.htm

 

Statin Drugs Are Now Available Over the Counter

 

 

Britain launched the first over-the-counter

cholesterol-lowering drug called simvastatin, which is

considered a newer version of Zocor.

 

Millions of people have been prescribed statins to

help reduce their chances of having a heart attack.

The extremely high number of people taking statins has

turned them into the biggest money making prescription

in the world.

 

Supporters of the over-the-counter cholesterol

medication argued that offering the drug without

requiring a prescription would increase the drug's

availability to people seeking ways to lower their

risk of coronary artery disease. Opponents to the

over-the-counter drug stated that they weren't a safe

option due to the likelihood of being taken

unnecessarily or in the wrong doses.

 

The proposed measures for monitoring this

over-the-counter medication is having the pharmacists

question customers about their health and then offer a

variety of health tests as a way to ensure the safety

of the drug.

 

Some experts view these over-the-counter drugs as a

way to slash the expenses of statin drugs in Britain,

which has already reached $1.28 billion a year.

 

News July 29, 2004

 

Dr. Mercola's Comment:

 

I announced Britain's decision in a past newsletter

article and am sorry to see that they did not wait

longer to authorize this switch. Statin drugs are

fraught with dangers, and what's worse is that there

are only a very small handful of people who benefit

from them--far less than one in 100.

 

Drugs are rarely the solution for high cholesterol.

Well over 99 percent of people can normalize their

cholesterol levels by restricting grains and sugars.

There are only a handful of people with genetic issues

who require statin drugs, and their cholesterol levels

are typically 350 or higher.

 

In addition to restricting grains and sugars, which

you can read more about in my new book, TOTAL HEALTH

Cookbook & Program, there are some simple things you

can do to normalize cholesterol levels.

 

You can take a high-quality fish oil that is chock

full of beneficial omega-3 fatty acids. It is

important to find a fish oil that is independently

tested by a lab and found to conform to purity

guidelines. This will ensure that the oil is free of

mercury and other toxins. One such brand, which I have

found to be of superior quality, is Carlson's fish and

cod liver oil, and I now offer this exceptional fish

oil/cod liver oil to you in my " Recommended Products "

section. You may also be able to find it in your local

health food store.

 

Additionally, if you are a man, or a woman who is in

menopause, you should check your iron levels as

elevated levels of iron can raise cholesterol levels

and cause major oxidative damage in the blood vessels,

heart and other organs. Excess iron is also one of the

major contributing factors to cancer risk.

 

Related Articles:

 

Crestor and Other Statins: Are They Really Worth

the Risk?

 

More Insane Uses For Statin Drugs

 

Statins, Calcium a Deadly Mix

 

Statins - Is the Danger in the Dose?

 

Half of Population Will be Taking Statins

 

Lunatic Recommendations For Statin Drug Use