Cardiologists are still in dispute regarding a ruling by the Federal Drug Administration that allows individuals with healthy cholesterol levels to take a cholesterol-lowering medication.
A study conducted by Jupiter showed that participants who took the cholesterol drug, Crestor, for 1.9 years lowered their risk of heart attack, stroke, and cardiovascular disease by 44 percent. Participants all had normal or near-normal cholesterol levels prior to the trial.
Some doctors are concerned about the substitution of medication in place of healthy lifestyle decisions such as eating healthy, exercising, and quitting smoking.
“It is so much easier to prescribe a drug than to change behavior, and that is my worry,” Dr. Mark A. Hlatky, a professor of health research and policy and medicine at Stanford University told Health Day News.
Additionally, the staggering results encouraged the researchers to cut the study short, before long-term effects of taking the medication were explored.
The study is one of many to highlight the growing healthcare concerns in the U.S. Increased rates of obesity, heart disease, and diabetes are affecting individuals at a younger age than previous generations. The prevalence of health problems affecting today’s youth results in costly health bills and higher health insurance premiums.
