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CITYSunTimes Online Extras February 2011 | Read the full SECTION
HEALTH & WELLNESS
It is difficult to get my eyes rolling when I read the opinions of medical experts who tout the use of drugs for the prevention of disease. Such articles are ubiquitous in our medical literature. After all, vitamins and natural foods are a curiosity or a sideshow in many medical circles. But today, my eyes rolled.
On January 10, Dr. George Lundberg, MD, a 17-year editor-in-chief of the Journal of the American Medical Association and past editor of eMedicine for WebMd, wrote an editorial on the online Medpage Today website titled “Should We Put Statins in the Water Supply?” In his article, Dr Lundberg recommends the widespread use, for the prevention of disease, of a “five-drug polypill” containing a statin, a diuretic, an ACE inhibitor, a beta-blocker and aspirin. In 2003, he noted that a six-drug version was recommended by the editor of the British Medical Journal. That version contained folic acid, but Dr Lundberg decided to drop this non-toxic vitamin from his modern list, “since homocysteine as a villain did not play out that well.”
Instead of arguing with Dr Lundberg, I will congratulate him on at least allowing on the home page of his website a link to studies showing that statins are risky for anyone who has had intracerebral hemorrhage (bleeding in the brain). Data from a recent trial on secondary stroke prevention indicate that patients with a history of lobar intracerebral hemorrhage would gain two more years of life by AVOIDING statins. There are many other common side effects to statins, along with the other drugs in the polypill list, as you might imagine.
Another interesting bit of medical news, which may have passed under your radar, is a new FDA warning label requirement prompted by concerns that the modern bisphosphonate drugs, used to prevent osteoporosis, may INCREASE the risk of thigh fractures known as atypical femoral fractures. Such fractures have been seen with minimal or NO associated trauma in patients using bisphosphonates. Commonly prescribed bisphosphonates are Fosamax, Boniva, Reclast and Actonel.
Even our normal food supply has been implicated as a cause for concern in a recent study published in the Nov 24, 2010 edition of the Journal of the American Medical Association. In this study, fructose-rich beverages, such as sodas and orange juice, caused an increased risk of gout in women. This may be another reason to avoid the high fructose corn syrup that is now used in many of our foods and beverages.
All of the above begs the obvious question: What CAN we do to prevent high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis and other maladies of modern man? Nothing says it better than one of the comments posted next to Dr Lundberg’s polypill article. Dr. Ronald Hoffman, MD, wrote “How about a ‘poly-pill’ consisting of Vitamin D, fish oil, green tea catechins, cocoa polyphenols and resveratrol from red wine? Less costly, fewer side effects.”
And all the people said…Amen!
Steven P. Timmons is a compounding chemist and consultant for Mountain View Pharmacy. He holds a B.S. in Biology from Stanford University and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Colorado State University.