The Sunday Times - Britain


March 06, 2005


Deaths linked to heart drugs
Lois Rogers, Medical Editor


EXPERTS are calling for a complete safety review of heart drugs taken
by millions of Britons. Government figures released last week show that

92 deaths have been linked to the statin drugs developed to lower
cholesterol.
It is believed that the death toll could be higher because doctors are
reluctant to blame drugs they prescribe for harming patients.


More than 37 of the deaths were attributed to a formulation called
simvastatin which is now being sold over the counter in low doses under

the brand name Zocor.


Many specialists are concerned that the drug, produced by Merck, should

be available without a prescription. A statin called Lipitor, made by
Pfizer, was associated with 36 of the deaths.


Three other leading statin brands - Novartis's Lescol, BMS's
Lipostat and AstraZeneca's Crestor - have been associated with 19
deaths since they were introduced in the late 1980s and early 1990s.


http://www.timesonline.co.uk/a=ADrt..13_1,00.ht=ADml

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"Tim Campbell" <timcall@sbcglobal.net> wrote in
news:1111421090.967607.203320@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com:

>
> The Sunday Times - Britain
>
>
> March 06, 2005
>
>
> Deaths linked to heart drugs
> Lois Rogers, Medical Editor
>
>
> EXPERTS are calling for a complete safety review of heart drugs taken
> by millions of Britons. Government figures released last week show that
>
> 92 deaths have been linked to the statin drugs developed to lower
> cholesterol.
> It is believed that the death toll could be higher because doctors are
> reluctant to blame drugs they prescribe for harming patients.
>
>
> More than 37 of the deaths were attributed to a formulation called
> simvastatin which is now being sold over the counter in low doses under
>
> the brand name Zocor.
>
>
> Many specialists are concerned that the drug, produced by Merck, should
>
> be available without a prescription. A statin called Lipitor, made by
> Pfizer, was associated with 36 of the deaths.
>
>
> Three other leading statin brands - Novartis's Lescol, BMS's
> Lipostat and AstraZeneca's Crestor - have been associated with 19
> deaths since they were introduced in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
>
>
>  http://www.timesonline.co.uk/a_rtic..2613_1,00.ht_ml
>
>

This was posted earlier but it is important to reiterate that, according
to the report ."Doctors accept that the cholesterol-lowering effects of
statins have saved thousands of people from dying prematurely of heart
disease, but question whether they should have been distributed so
widely."

Personally, I do not think these meds should be OTC (nor do I support
them being banned). They are powerful and, obviously, have serious side
effects in a very small portion of the population. Hopefully, research
will be able to pinpoint those at potentially more risk.

Thanks for the post.

L.

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"listener" <listener@nospam.net> wrote in message
news:Xns962078FAC8688listenernospamnet@38.144.126.109..
> "Tim Campbell" <timcall@sbcglobal.net> wrote in
> news:1111421090.967607.203320@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com:
> 
>
> This was posted earlier but it is important to reiterate that, according
> to the report ."Doctors accept that the cholesterol-lowering effects of
> statins have saved thousands of people from dying prematurely of heart
> disease, but question whether they should have been distributed so
> widely."
>
> Personally, I do not think these meds should be OTC (nor do I support
> them being banned). They are powerful and, obviously, have serious side
> effects in a very small portion of the population. Hopefully, research
> will be able to pinpoint those at potentially more risk.
>
> Thanks for the post.
>
> L.

Yes, we have seen differences in statin impacts on blacks vs. whites, men vs
.
women, asians vs. others. This, to me, suggests something going on at the
genetic level. I hope someone is looking into unlocking that.

Bill

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"Tim Campbell" <timcall@sbcglobal.net> wrote in part:

>The Sunday Times - Britain
>
>
>March 06, 2005
>
>
>Deaths linked to heart drugs
>Lois Rogers, Medical Editor
>
>
>EXPERTS are calling for a complete safety review of heart drugs taken
>by millions of Britons. Government figures released last week show that
>
>92 deaths have been linked to the statin drugs developed to lower
>cholesterol.

92.

>It is believed that the death toll could be higher because doctors are
>reluctant to blame drugs they prescribe for harming patients.
>
>
>More than 37 of the deaths were attributed to a formulation called
>simvastatin which is now being sold over the counter in low doses under
>
>the brand name Zocor.

"More than 37." Call it 38.

>Many specialists are concerned that the drug, produced by Merck, should
>
>be available without a prescription. A statin called Lipitor, made by
>Pfizer, was associated with 36 of the deaths.

36.

>Three other leading statin brands - Novartis's Lescol, BMS's
>Lipostat and AstraZeneca's Crestor - have been associated with 19
>deaths since they were introduced in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

19.

38+36+19 = 93.

Journalists never can do math.
--
Jim Chinnis   Warrenton, Virginia, USA

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"Jim Chinnis" <jchinnis@SPAMalum.mit.edu> wrote in message
news:c50v31dnluk5hu5rfrfsr9irv0jajiqvnh@4ax.com..
> "Tim Campbell" <timcall@sbcglobal.net> wrote in part:
> 
>
> 92.
> 
>
> "More than 37." Call it 38.
> 
>
> 36.
> 
>
> 19.
>
> 38+36+19 = 93.
>
> Journalists never can do math.

They can't be including Baycol statin deaths, that total would have been
over 100.

> --
> Jim Chinnis   Warrenton, Virginia, USA

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Jim Chinnis wrote:
> "Tim Campbell" <timcall@sbcglobal.net> wrote in part:
> 
taken[vbcol=seagreen] 
that[vbcol=seagreen] 
>
> 92.
> 
are[vbcol=seagreen] 
under[vbcol=seagreen] 
>
> "More than 37." Call it 38.
> 
should[vbcol=seagreen] 
by[vbcol=seagreen] 
>
> 36.
> 
>
> 19.
>
> 38+36+19 = 93.



92

Two drugs were implicated in one death. {Mathematicians always think
there's only one right answer.}


>
> Journalists never can do math.

It was arithmetic.



> --
> Jim Chinnis   Warrenton, Virginia, USA


But:

http://www.supercrawler.com/Kids_an..hool_Time/Math/


Zee

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"zee" <outrider@despammed.com> wrote in part:

>Two drugs were implicated in one death. {Mathematicians always think
>there's only one right answer.}

Well, there was a wide-open question re what "linked" meant. If
multiple things could be linked, then we have to ask if they were
all looked at.
 
>
>It was arithmetic.

Journalism math.
--
Jim Chinnis   Warrenton, Virginia, USA

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This wasn't NEJM or JAMA. This was your local one-handed
accompany-your-morning-espresso-rag.

She had to produce 10 inches by noon, and had six others for the same
deadline as well as editing someone else's work (she's the medical
editor..

She did it..



Zee
thinks outside the box..any box

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X-No-Archive: Yes

Jim Chinnis wrote:
> "zee" <outrider@despammed.com> wrote in part:
> 
>
> Well, there was a wide-open question re what "linked" meant. If
> multiple things could be linked, then we have to ask if they were
> all looked at.
> 

[vbcol=seagreen]
> Journalism math.



Here. I found this for you. You know I was really impressed with
this..until I raised the box lid, stepped out and turned around to
look back..

It's just KNITTING. Men!
http://www.pims.math.ca/knotplot/

Zee






> --
> Jim Chinnis   Warrenton, Virginia, USA

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"Tim Campbell" <timcall@sbcglobal.net> wrote in
news:1111421090.967607.203320@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com:

>
> The Sunday Times - Britain
>
>
> March 06, 2005
>
>
> Deaths linked to heart drugs
> Lois Rogers, Medical Editor
>
>
> EXPERTS are calling for a complete safety review of heart drugs taken
> by millions of Britons. Government figures released last week show that
>
> 92 deaths have been linked to the statin drugs developed to lower
> cholesterol.
> It is believed that the death toll could be higher because doctors are
> reluctant to blame drugs they prescribe for harming patients.
>
>
> More than 37 of the deaths were attributed to a formulation called
> simvastatin which is now being sold over the counter in low doses under
>
> the brand name Zocor.
>
>
> Many specialists are concerned that the drug, produced by Merck, should
>
> be available without a prescription. A statin called Lipitor, made by
> Pfizer, was associated with 36 of the deaths.
>
>
> Three other leading statin brands - Novartis's Lescol, BMS's
> Lipostat and AstraZeneca's Crestor - have been associated with 19
> deaths since they were introduced in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
>
>
>  http://www.timesonline.co.uk/a_rtic..2613_1,00.ht_ml
>
>

This was posted earlier but it is important to reiterate that, according
to the report ."Doctors accept that the cholesterol-lowering effects of
statins have saved thousands of people from dying prematurely of heart
disease, but question whether they should have been distributed so
widely."

Personally, I do not think these meds should be OTC (nor do I support
them being banned). They are powerful and, obviously, have serious side
effects in a very small portion of the population. Hopefully, research
will be able to pinpoint those at potentially more risk.

Thanks for the post.

L.

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