The raison d'etre of this website is to provide you with hard scientific information which may help you make informed decisions in your quest for health (so far I have blogged concise summaries of over 1,500 scientific studies and have had three books published).

My research is mainly focused on the effects of cholesterol, saturated fat and statin drugs on health. If you know anyone who is worried about their cholesterol levels and heart disease, or has been told to take statin drugs you could send them a link to this website, and to my statin or cholesterol or heart disease books.

David Evans

Independent Health Researcher

Tuesday 21 June 2011

Statins increase the death rate by 150-300%

This post includes a synopsis of a study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine 1991; 151 (1): 43-49

Study title and authors:
Expanded Clinical Evaluation of Lovastatin (EXCEL) Study Results: 1. Efficacy in Modifying Plasma Lipoproteins and Adverse Event Profile in 8245 Patients With Moderate Hypercholesterolemia
Reagan H. Bradford, MD, PhD; Charles L. Shear, DPH; Athanassios N. Chremos, MD; Carlos Dujovne, MD; Maria Downton, MS; Frank A. Franklin, MD, PhD; A. Lawrence Gould, PhD; Michael Hesney, MS; Jim Higgins, PhD; Dennis P. Hurley, DSc; Alexandra Langendorfer, MS; David T. Nash, MD; James L. Pool, MD; Harold Schnaper, MD

This study can be accessed at: http://archinte.ama-assn.org/cgi/reprint/151/1/43

The study investigated the relationship between statins and death rates. In the study 8,245 'patients', aged 18 to 70, with cholesterol levels between 232mg/dL (6.0 mmol/l) and 300mg/dL (7.8 mmol/l) received one of four different doses of lovastatin (Mevacor) or a placebo.

The study found after 1 year:
(a) Higher transaminase levels (which may be an indicator of liver damage) were found in the subjects taking statins.
(b) Higher incidence of clinical adverse experiences requiring patients to discontinue the 'treatment' were found in the subjects taking statins.
(i) 16% more patients taking 20 mg/day statins discontinued their treatment compared to patients taking a placebo.
(ii) 50% more patients taking 80 mg/day statins discontinued their treatment compared to patients taking a placebo.
(c) Higher levels of muscle damage were detected in the subjects taking statins.
(d) The four groups taking lovastatin lowered their low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels by 24%-40%.
(e) The four groups taking lovastatin lowered their cholesterol levels by 17%-29%.
(f) The death rate of the four groups taking various doses of lovastatin was 150-300% higher than the placebo group.