All GLG News Analyses Filed Under: Cardiology

A Pill For Every Mouth

July 11, 2008

Analysis by: GLG Expert Contributor

Analysis of:8-Year-Olds on Statins? A New Plan Quickly Bites Back | www.nytimes.com

Dangers of over-medication.  Lack of long term studies.  lack of personal and parental responsibility

How to identify individuals likely to benefit from the use of Statins.

July 11, 2008

Analysis by: GLG Expert Contributor

Analysis of:8-Year-Olds on Statins? A New Plan Quickly Bites Back | www.nytimes.com

Widespread use of statins is likely to reduce the incidence of heart attacks and strokes and reduce the process responsible: atherosclerosis. Statins are expensive and selection of individuals and children at high to moderate risk should go beyond risk stratification by standard means and use more objective evidence of early asymptomatic atherosclerosis. Such a measure is carotid intima-media thickness (IMT), a measurement that has recently had much impact on statin utilization (Vytorin and Merk/Schering-Plough).  This phenotypic marker is noninvasive and without risk. Novel risk factors such as c-Reactive Protein and even markers of inflammation are rarely seen to be abnormal in young age groups. Traditional risk factors only identify a proportion of those who are seeing early changes in the wall of their arteries.  Looking directly at the wall of the artery makes more sense.

Desperate times- desperate measures

July 11, 2008

Analysis by: GLG Expert Contributor

Analysis of:8-Year-Olds on Statins? A New Plan Quickly Bites Back | www.nytimes.com

This recommedation is just a reflection of how out of hand the crisis of obesity and metabolic syndrome/diabetes is in our youth. We all need to wake up and do something.

Statins for Kids! It's gone too far !!!

July 10, 2008

Analysis by: GLG Expert Contributor

Analysis of:8-Year-Olds on Statins? A New Plan Quickly Bites Back | www.nytimes.com

While statins have been proven to lower cholesterol, the absolute numbers of prevented deaths or myocardial infarctions has been poor, with the NNT (number needed to treat) at between 50-100, depending upon whom you ask.

Richard AmerlingDirector of Outpatient DialysisBETH ISRAEL MEDICAL CENTER (INC)

Our Kids on Statins...........Not!

July 10, 2008

Analysis of:8-Year-Olds on Statins? A New Plan Quickly Bites Back | www.nytimes.com

With the pipeline for new drugs running dry, it is no surprise that pharmaceutical companies are looking to expand indications for existing products still under patent protection.  What better way to do this than by creating entirely new patient populations out of whole cloth?

Chinese Food For Prevention?

June 23, 2008

Analysis by: GLG Expert Contributor

Analysis of:Study Finds Chinese Food Good For Your Heart | www.medicalnewstoday.com

Once again we are finding that traditional Chinese medicine is just as affective in this day and time as it was back during the Tang Dynasty.  Even then, Chinese red yeast rice was known to 'remove blockages' and aid in digestion.  What is even more exciting in this study, is the possibility the cardiovascular benefits of this substance may extend beyond its lipid lowering effects.  As the numbers of internet savvy consumers grow, the impact of studies such as this will have a profound effect on the pharmaceutical and healthcare industry.  Traditional medicine is expensive and can have significant side effects.  This form of Chinese medicine seems efficacious and well tolerated.  The challenge will be whether all patients at various income levels will be able to afford it.  As with many medicines, no matter how great the studies are, the medicine does no good if a patient can not purchase it, then begin using it.

possible use of chinese rice extract after cardiac bypass surgery

June 10, 2008

Analysis by: GLG Expert Contributor

Analysis of:Study Finds Chinese Food Good For Your Heart | www.medicalnewstoday.com

The title of this invitation is misleading. The study is regarding a speific item, red yeast rice purified extract, in the very spcific situation of preventing recurrent myocardial infarction after cadiac bypass surgery. While this is interesting, it is not yet a studied and proven therapy. It may be helpful to further study this.

Combination of unknown and known components is advertised to cure any cancer and coronary artery disease!

June 10, 2008

Analysis by: GLG Expert Contributor

Analysis of:Study Finds Chinese Food Good For Your Heart | www.medicalnewstoday.com

The referred trial involves patients of 18-70 years of age who suffered a heart attack previous year. The ingredients of "XZK capsules have not been isolated and studied yet." The capsules contained "a combination of lovastatin, lovastatin hydroxyl acid, ergosterol and other components." Pills were found to reduce cardiovascular events rate and mortality by 1/3 and cancer morality by 2/3. Summary: if you happened to have MI at 17 years of age and will take combination of known and unknown drugs for 5 years, you are less likely to die from another MI and much less likely to die from any kind of cancer. It is a miracle!

You can freeze "leftover" TPA and save money. No need to by CathFlo or Actilyse.

June 2, 2008

Analysis by: GLG Expert Contributor

Analysis of:Boehringer Ingelheim gets first approval within EU for Actilyse(R) 2mg to treat catheter dysfunction caused by thrombotic occlusion | www.pipelinereview.com

This is just a "me too" product purchased from Genetech - was call Cathflo when sold by Genentech.   We draw up the same chemical called alteplase (TPA) in 2 mg increments in order not to waste same when we use the drug for emergent treatment of strokes, then freeze the 2 mg syringes (which would have been wasted) and keep for 6 months.  This saves money and avoids having to buy these crazy "me too" items.  Genentech was selling Cathflow for about $34.00 for 2 mg; not sure how much this will cost.  Probably around that. 

Cardiovascular Risk Assessment

June 2, 2008

Analysis by: GLG Expert Contributor

Analysis of:Metabolic Syndrome Not Useful in Predicting Cardiovascular Risk | www.medpagetoday.com

There have been great advances made over the past 40 years in cardiovascular risk assessment.  Nevertheless, 600 people die each day of sudden death. The majority of these individuals had conditions that could have been treated and corrected.

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