Is there any ‘real’ proof that an elevated cholesterol ’causes’ heart attacks? No.
So why do we keep getting told that ‘we’ have to take a statin drug to reduce the risk of having a cardiac event when addressing lifestyle and eating is significantly better at reducing that risk.
Then our news media gets hold of sensationalist headlines like “Catalyst program MAY contribute to up to 2900 heart attacks and strokes” – bollocks.
As a medical profession we have been told over and over again that cholesterol CAUSES cardiovascular disease and heart attacks and strokes. Well, it’s never been proven.
There is association evidence but it holds just as strongly for carbohydrates and high protein intake as it does for cholesterol, arguably stronger.
Why are we not hearing about that? Maybe we don’t need a drug to reduce our intake of sugar and carbohydrate. Maybe there is no money in telling us that (cynical note).
If you want to know the detailed history of the lipid cholesterol – heart disease THEORY / HYPOTHESIS / NOTION then get informed and read this paper from late last year that reviews the topic. It is one of the best I have read.
“The argument about the ‘diet-heart disease question’ has
left the scientific community exhausted and the public confused”
“the theory, inconsistencies, mistakes and alternate explanations become apparent and cast doubt on its (lipid heart hypothesis) validity”
“It is incorrect to assume that high total cholesterol has a causative role in Coronary Heart Disease. The possibility exists that it is a “marker” of other underlying abnormal metabolic or disease processes. “Risk marker” may have been a better choice than “risk factor”, representing the relationship more accurately without any unintended bias.”
“flawed design and flawed interpretation of dietary studies, and indicating only statistical probabilities”
2013’s Catalyst program questioning the Statin overuse in our community should be heralded for raising the question of our convenient overuse of drug prescription. It should not be ‘blamed’ for something that has not been proven.
Flaws, Fallacies and Facts: Reviewing the Early History of the Lipid and Diet/Heart Hypotheses
http://www.scirp.org/journal/PaperInformation.aspx?PaperID=50455#.VX3ohEZUxiY
Here are the Catalyst programs on You Tube after they have been pulled by the ABC
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imJQinUiMcg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fi6lPviezis
http://www.nofructose.com/introduction/cholesterol-testing/
https://theconversation.com/abcs-2013-catalyst-program-may-…
http://mobile.abc.net.au/…/patients-cut-back-on-sta…/6545026