Heart Foundation – statins
November 4, 2013
The National Heart Foundation
has come out strongly condemning
the ABC Catalyst program along
with other medical authorities (PD
30 & 31 Oct), academics and NPS
MedicineWise, for the danger of the
potential impact of the unbalanced
program shown last Thu.
The Heart Foundation is
urging people not to change
their medication or ignore their
cholesterol levels.
CEO Dr Lyn Roberts said the
program has caused confusion in the
community and she was worried it
may be putting lives at risk.
“We know patients are already
contacting their GPs and health
professionals anxious about their
heart health on the basis of the
program.
“The Heart Foundation and the
wider medical community are
concerned that people may have
been misled and might stop taking
their statins without consulting
their doctor,” Dr Roberts said.
“The conclusions presented in
the ABC Catalyst program are not
supported by the Heart Foundation
or the vast majority of the medical
and scientific communities across
the country and internationally.
“High cholesterol remains a major
risk factor for heart attack, stroke
and peripheral vascular disease and
having multiple risk factors places
you at higher risk.
“We are shocked by the disregard
of the evidence and we are
considering our next course of
action,” Dr Roberts said.
Heart Foundation’s Chief Medical
Adviser Professor James Tatoulis
said that after a heart attack,
treatment with a statin is standard,
evidence-based management.
“Cholesterol-lowering drugs,
known as statins, are the most
commonly prescribed drugs in
Australia and are a very effective
way of reducing the risk of having a
heart attack, particularly for people
who have heart disease,” Prof
Tatoulis said.
“Some of the largest studies
ever conducted in medicine have
demonstrated that statins decrease
further heart attacks and save lives.”
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