Return to Article Index |
| Drug Duo May Reduce Heart Attacks and Strokes |
| Thomas H. Maugh II/ Los Angeles Times |
| 10/3/2009 |
Study gives hope to heart patients. Results showed an inexpensive combination of one drug to lower cholesterol and one to lower blood pressure (the generic drugs used were, lovastatin for cholesterol and lisinopril for blood pressure) can reduce the incidence of heart attacks and strokes by as much as 60% -- BUT getting patients to begin the regimen and then to stay on it is an extremely difficult task, says new study reported in The American Journal of Managed Care. The drugs were given to nearly 70,000 people with cardiovascular disease or diabetes and prevented an estimated 1,271 heart attacks and strokes in one year, Dr. James Dudl of Kaiser Permanente's Care Management Institute and his colleagues reported in the American Journal of Managed Care. "What was fairly amazing to me was that we got such a good drop in heart attack and strokes" despite the low adherence, Dudl said. "The issue now is how to increase adherence." For complete article go to: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-sci-drugs3-2009oct03,0,2865375.story American Journal of Managed Care. www.ajmc.com/ Dr Zalman cautions “additional study is needed in this field of combination treatment which suggests that addressing risk factors will lower the risk of heart attack and stroke. Of course prevention by lowering American’s dietary intake of cholesterol, animal fat and salty foods maybe just as powerful if not better. It is difficult to know from this brief newspaper report how vigorous the data are.” |
| Additional Information: : http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-sci-drugs3-2009oct03,0,2865375.story |