I doubt whether any of the recent cholesterol studies have attempted to look at
the benefits of treating patients over the age of 70
In the abscence of this evidence there is a clear risk you may do more harm than
good in treating with statins in this age group
Dr Amrit Takhar
GP Cambs Uk
< Not unexpectedly the drug funding body told us we were
in fantasyland. [They had to consider their annual bonuses of course.]
We (the profession) are not asking for GP's to follow the 4S evidence to
the "nth" degree, as it is clearly impracticable at the present time, but
we do most certainly need to weigh each case up on its merits. I believe
this patient has a risk far higher than 3% and I would treat her if she was
sprightly.
If the country didn't make provision for subsidising her medicine (and the
RCGP needs to be involved in making sure there are guidelines for GP's)
then she at least needs to have informed consent provided as to how much
(if any) of the costs she might like to consider herself - - if she values
the quality of her ageing years.
My father is 72 years and if he had a cholesterol of 9 mmol/L I would most
certainly be seeking treatment with the best EBM-medicine (EBM sometimes
has its uses when the evidence is convincing).
Jon Wilcox
The Other Side of the World (?? Fantasyland)>
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