Study Group: Cardiologists in Private Practice who Specialize in Lipid Management (US)

GLG News^SM Analyses by this Study Group's Leading Experts(?)

Metanalyses, Metapsychoses

September 30, 2009

Analysis by:Ronald Innerfield, Vice President of Clinical Affairs,

Analysis of:Controls to blood sugar 'cuts stroke risk' | www.barchester.com

There have been many epidemiologic studies showing a very tight correlation between baseline A1c and cardiovascular mortalityDespite this, five major randomized prospective studies have failed to show any macrovascular benefit for tighter glucose controlThe logical conclusion is that glucose is, therefore, a marker for increased mortality but not a modifiable risk factor thereofThis is why FDA has mandated cardiovascular safety for new antidiabetic agentsData dredging persists, however

If it seems too good to be true...it probably is.

December 9, 2008

Analysis by:Joshua Feuer, Owner,

Analysis of:Generic Heart Drugs as Good as Brand-Name Counterparts | www.washingtonpost.com

This article implies that physician's have no justifiable reason for prescribing brand-name drugs. Unfortunately, it's not that simple.

“You've got to be very careful if you don't know where you are going, because you might not get there.” Yogi Berra

December 8, 2008

Analysis by:Joshua Feuer, Owner,

Analysis of:Patients Taking Lipitor Had a Significantly Reduced Risk of Cardiovascular Events Compared with Patients Taking Simvastatin, New Observational Study Shows | pharmalive.com

There is a question of bias in this study. It is not prospective, not randomized and not blinded and thus no valid conclusions can be made. The study should be ignored. It will have no impact on sales.

Outsourcing of compassionate use of drugs?

January 18, 2008

Analysis by:Dan Streja, Clinical Professor of Medicine,

Analysis of: No right to experimental drugs for dying patients: Supreme Court | news.yahoo.com

The Supreme Court has rejected the use of experimental drugs by the dying patients on the grounds that "The framers (of the US constitution) understood that the pursuit of life is an inalienable right that should not be abridged without due process of law." Over the years our patients with terminal illness have traveled outside the US to purchase hope when our management was offering none. Although in the majority of cases the hope was unjustified, the current decision will encourage healthcare providers residing outside the US to advertise for their services through the internet. The issue should be addressed by the legislators sooner rather than later. Drugs who improve quality of life, awaiting approval for survival indication or drugs looking promising in early clinical trials could be made available to dying patients with informed consent addressing our limitations.  

Niacin...it's deja vu all over again.

January 29, 2007

Analysis by:Joshua Feuer, Owner,

Analysis of:An Old Cholesterol Remedy Is New Again | www.nytimes.com

1. Pfizer Inc, the pharmaceutical giant, halted late-stage trials of the HDL increasing drug torcetrapib after investigators discovered that it increased heart problems and increased death rates in the treated population.
2. Niacin, a B vitamin that increases HDL (the good cholesterol) up to 35%, has largely been ignored by physicians treating hypercholesterolemia and coronary heart disease because it is difficult to prescribe related to the common nuisance, but non-serious side effect of flushing.
3. Statins typically decrease LDL (the bad cholesterol) by 30-50% and cardiovascular events by about 30-40% but one analysis suggests that by decreasing LDL by 40% and increasing HDL by 30%, cardiovascular events could be decreased by 70%.
4. A large trial is underway to test this hypothesis comparing statin therapy alone with combination statin plus niacin therapy.

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