PAUL Cann's letter advising patients have nothing to fear from statins does nothing to reduce my concerns about these drugs, which seem to be prescribed with abandon.
My fear of statins arises from the potential for significant adverse effects.
Muscle pain and wasting is often mentioned, though doctors seem reluctant to acknowledge well-documented evidence of cognitive impairment (memory loss).
Between 75 and 80% of adverse effects of a drug are dose-related.
In early clinical trials a manufacturer reported that doses of 2.5mg brought at least half of the patients to optimal levels of cholesterol, and 85% to near optimal. When manufacture started in earnest, the lowest dose of this drug was 10mg.
This alone should give patients pause for thought. I am not prepared to take a drug four times as strong as it needs be to do the job. And no GP should be prepared to prescribe it.
NHS patient, name and address supplied.
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