Confused by cardiologists arguing over the role of cholesterol in causing cardiovascular disease?

[foodblog]

Sometimes I feel very confused by some cardiologists debunking the role of cholesterol in cardiovascular disease. Just came across this well balanced and very informative article. wp.me/p2urWY-ow

[Withattitude]

It's a very good article and thank you for posting.

I think that there are multiple factors in the debate of cholesterol. I think individuals respond differently to different medication, diet and everyone has there own unique genetic history.

Doctors are only human and some find it very difficult to admit that they may be wrong or go against popular opinion. In the GP practice I'm registered at there is one doctor who thinks that statins are very over rated - he's slim and regularly exercises, and there's another who thinks everyone over 45 should be taking statins - he hasn't aged well over the 27 years I've known him! Must make for interesting staff meetings.

And then there are pharmaceutical companies that make billions of pounds, fund research and pay for meetings, etc, which doctors often attend free of charge, government bonuses that doctors get paid, for following recomendations, for prescribing certain drugs.

It is difficult to know what to do for the best. I've just finished reading Pure, White and Deadly. An old book it's true, but it has some very interesting and valid information in it. As does the info from Dr Michael Mosely with his two day a week fasting regime, which has helped him to lose wait and get his cholesterol and blood glucose down.

I think all anyone can do is find out as much as you can, if possible find a doctor that has at least some open mindedness and follow what feels right and what works for you. All of which is a massive task if you feel ill and scared.

[patch14]

The human race has always had cholesterol and it is only relatively recently that the medical profession has turned its attention to it. There has to be a cause for heart disease and stroke and Drs,( particularly in the USA who are loathe to tell their patients to take themselves in hand because the "buck" talks over there and the patient walks to another Dr if they don't like what they hear,) look for the easiest and cheapest way to hit a nut with a hammer. We have to take ourselves in hand and look to our livestyle to help ourselves. If we need help because of circumstances beyond our control (such as FH or other beyond our control diseases) we turn to the Drs. They have to give us honest advice and not the advice of pressurising drugs companies and the recent "sexy" opinions. Unfortunately money is again the issue. The Drs don't get paid for giving us positive advice, only negative, hence all the drugs!!

[DakCB-UK]

Hah! A book that says "don't take statins, take supplements" from two authors that sell supplements - see comments - who would have thought it? The review is more balanced.

[MikePollard]

Dr. Sinatra is not anti statins and does not say 'don't take statins". He advocates them in patients fulfilling certain criteria, ie uses them wisely.

youtube.com/watch?v=Wgpl0zO...(Not working as expected?)

[MumwithFH in reply to MikePollard]

This is a great video - thank you for posting

[Aliwally]

I can usually tell when I sart an article whether it's going to be pro or anti the lipid hypothesis, but this one confused me a bit! Doc finished up by being pro (I think) ! I agree about Withattitude's comment about GP's, it is exactly the same in our practice to add to the already confused picture.

I also think that most mainstream cholesterol sceptics do not address those of us with FH or other inherited forms...whatever they are. I certainly wouldn't worry if mine was in the 6's or 7's even, but is the 8's getting a bit dodgy???