By Henry J. Fishman, M.D.
ConsumerAffairs.com
January 14, 2008 Spanish
A whole lotta confusion. Thats what a recent study of an expensive cholesterol lowering drug called Vytorin caused and if youre on it, youd better talk to your doctor about it.
Researchers took a look at a small group of folks with genetically high cholesterol. They gave half Vytorin and half an inexpensive cholesterol-lowering drug.
Since Vytorin lowers cholesterol in two ways by blocking production in your liver and by decreasing absorption from your food -- researchers were so positive it would help, they called the study the Excel Study.
Vytorin excelled all right, but not as much as the experts hoped.
It lowered total cholesterol and LDLs -- the bad cholesterol -- far more than the generic, which is good because the lower your LDLs, the lower your risk of heart trouble.
However, Vytorin did not decrease the amount of plaque in the patients neck arteries. This sent the stock of its Merck and Co, and Schering-Plough Corp, the drugs manufacturers, tumbling, and started a chorus of boos against Vytorin and other expensive prescription drugs in the press and among experts.
Warranted? Not completely.
Vytorin did lower LDLs and the the plaque in neck arteries is tough to study and measure. Also, Vytorins effect on your risk of heart attack, stroke and death is not clear. It needs to be studied more.
What to do?
Talk to your doctor about the study and which cholesterol drug is right for you. They each have different benefits and risks. An individualized program of diet, exercise and medicine is the best way to prevent heart trouble.
