Statins increase aggression in women

This study was published in the Journal of Womens Health 2008 Mar;17(2):187-94

Study title and authors:

Lipid-lowering medication use and aggression scores in women: a report from the NHLBI-sponsored WISE study.

Olson MB, Kelsey SF, Matthews KA, Bairey Merz CN, Eteiba W, McGorray SP, Cornell CE, Vido DA, Muldoon MF.

Department of Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18321170

The aim of this study was to examine the association between the use of cholesterol lowering medication and aggression. The study measured aggression levels in 498 women who had suspected heart disease.

The study revealed that women on cholesterol lowering medication (88% were on statins) had higher aggression levels than those not on medication.

Analysis of 13 studies finds that statins offer no health benefits for women

This paper was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association 2004;291(18):2243-2252

Study title and authors:

Drug Treatment of Hyperlipidemia in Women

Judith M. E. Walsh, MD, MPH;Michael Pignone, MD, MPH

Division of General Internal Medicine and Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco.

This paper can be accessed at: http://jama.ama-assn.org/content/291/18/2243.abstract

The aim of this analysis of 13 studies (which included 19,707 women) was to determine if cholesterol lowering drugs such as statins have any effect on heart disease rates and death rates in women. The study investigated results for both women with cardiovascular disease and without cardiovascular disease.

The study found:

(a) For women with heart disease statins marginally lower heart disease rates, however death rates from all causes remained the same.

(b) For women without heart disease statins marginally raise heart disease death rates, however death rates from all cause again remained the same.

This analysis of 13 studies found that statins offer no health benefits for women.

Cardiologist questions the benefits of statins

This post includes a synopsis of a paper published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal November 8, 2005; 173 (10) and a recipe for huevos rancheros.

Study title and authors:
Questioning the benefits of statins

Books:

Eddie Vos* and Colin P. Rose

*Sutton, Que.; Cardiologist, McGill University, Montréal, Que.

This paper can be accessed at: http://www.cmaj.ca/cgi/content/full/173/10/1207-a

Vos a cardiologist at McGill University, Montréal, notes that:
(a) Statins have failed to deliver in reducing all cause mortality
(b) There are no statin trials with even the slightest hint of a mortality benefit in women.
(c)  In patients over 70 years old evidence shows no mortality benefit of statin therapy.
(d)  In the ALLHAT study says it best: "trials [primarily in middle-aged men] demonstrating a reduction in [coronary artery disease] from cholesterol lowering have not demonstrated a net reduction in all-cause mortality." What is the point of decreasing the number of "events" without decreasing overall mortality, when the harm caused by the side effects of statin therapy is factored in?

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Recipe of the day

Huevos Rancheros

Ingredients:

◦1 lb. link sausage

◦6 eggs

Food Mall: Sausage

◦1 green onion, chopped

◦1 avocado, chopped
◦Salsa

Method:
For the sausage, use a knife to split the link 3/4 of the way through and use your fingers to split it flat. Cook the sausages in a saute pan, that’s on medium high heat, with the casing side down. Why? Because the casing needs to render out otherwise the sausage will curl up, won’t crisp up and will taste oddly chewy.

While the sausage is browning, whisk together the eggs with a bit of salt. Remember, the salt helps keep the eggs tender. After the sausage is done, scramble the eggs in the sausage renderings, however you like–runny, slightly runny, hard and rubbery.

To serve, lay a few sausage links down on your plate, top with eggs, spoon with salsa and then sprinkle the green onions and avocado on top.