Balding Blog
09-01-2009, 01:00 PM
This isn’t hair-related, but it is quite interesting and may have applicability to many of you. After you review it, you might want to talk with your doctor about this subject.
Abstract from the study:
The use of statins is widespread and many patients presenting for surgery are regularly taking them. There is evidence that statins have beneficial effects beyond those of lipid lowering, including reducing the perioperative risk of cardiac complications and sepsis. This review addresses the cellular mechanisms by which statins may produce these effects. Statins appear to have actions on vascular nitric oxide through the balance of inducible and endothelial nitric oxide synthase. The clinical evidence for these benefits is also briefly reviewed with the objective of clarifying the current status of statin use in the perioperative period. There is reasonably strong evidence that patients already taking statins should continue on them perioperatively. However, the evidence for the prophylactic use of statins perioperatively is weak and lacks prospective controlled studies.
Read the full text — Statins for All: The New Premed? (http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/706510)
For years, I have been taking statins even with a normal cholesterol level, because too many people have heart attacks with normal cholesterol and as such, having a regular Western diet may not be enough of a proactive stance to prevent sudden death complication of heart disease. It has long been known that 70% of those who die of heart disease find that this was the first (and last) sign of impending doom. Although this article points to the risks associated with anesthetic risks and ways of mitigating them, my feeling is that there is a greater value to taking a statin routinely.
Tags: cholesterol (http://technorati.com/tag/cholesterol), statin (http://technorati.com/tag/statin), health (http://technorati.com/tag/health), diet (http://technorati.com/tag/diet)
More... (http://www.baldingblog.com/2009/09/01/the-use-of-statin-drugs-may-have-value-for-everyone/)
Abstract from the study:
The use of statins is widespread and many patients presenting for surgery are regularly taking them. There is evidence that statins have beneficial effects beyond those of lipid lowering, including reducing the perioperative risk of cardiac complications and sepsis. This review addresses the cellular mechanisms by which statins may produce these effects. Statins appear to have actions on vascular nitric oxide through the balance of inducible and endothelial nitric oxide synthase. The clinical evidence for these benefits is also briefly reviewed with the objective of clarifying the current status of statin use in the perioperative period. There is reasonably strong evidence that patients already taking statins should continue on them perioperatively. However, the evidence for the prophylactic use of statins perioperatively is weak and lacks prospective controlled studies.
Read the full text — Statins for All: The New Premed? (http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/706510)
For years, I have been taking statins even with a normal cholesterol level, because too many people have heart attacks with normal cholesterol and as such, having a regular Western diet may not be enough of a proactive stance to prevent sudden death complication of heart disease. It has long been known that 70% of those who die of heart disease find that this was the first (and last) sign of impending doom. Although this article points to the risks associated with anesthetic risks and ways of mitigating them, my feeling is that there is a greater value to taking a statin routinely.
Tags: cholesterol (http://technorati.com/tag/cholesterol), statin (http://technorati.com/tag/statin), health (http://technorati.com/tag/health), diet (http://technorati.com/tag/diet)
More... (http://www.baldingblog.com/2009/09/01/the-use-of-statin-drugs-may-have-value-for-everyone/)