Dr's Editorial Questions Overprescription

[pani]

Interesting editorial by a doctor on the need for cholesterol lowering drugs etc

http://abcnews.go.com/print?id=3232247

[Risible]

It seems Dr. Hadler has a considerable investment in having not ever prescribed certain classes of drugs because he has deemed them to yield little to no results, that he has 40 years in the biz and that he's a senior clinician, and in refusing to allow his own blood to be tested for certain conditions.

I dunno. It sounds like he is prideful; I worry that his pride may prevent him from being entirely objective.

[pani]

I didn't get prideful at all. I felt he was just making the point that lowering ones blood sugar, cholesterol etc really doesn't extend one's life for that much longer. I have read the work of other doctors who feel that way. Many feel the drugs that are being pushed down our throats have more risks than benefits. Certainly true in my family. My grandmother's doctor pushed cholesterol pills on her. Her younger sister never took them. My grandma died at 82, her sister 90. My grandma went senile, her younger sister remained sharp as a tack. Turns out those pills cause memory loss. It is really hard for the public to realize our health system is dominated by the pharmaceuticals. They influence what is being taught in medical schools. Many of the studies are sponsored by them, and many articles in the medical journals as well. To me, this doctor is a breath of fresh air separating fact from BigPharma's marketing.

[Friday]

My Grama had a triple bypass at 65 and another at 74, then died of a heart attack at 76. She didn't take cholesterol lowering drugs. My Mom had an untreated cholesterol of over 300. After treatment it dropped below 200. Although she died at 69 of smoking related emphysema, she never had heart problems. A majority of my maternal ancestors died young of heart issues. My bio-Dad died after a freak accident caused by a badly timed angina pain shortly after his twin brother had a documented heart attack. My cholesterol is high. With my family history I'm not taking those kinds of chances and I'm not even going to go into the complications diabetes have caused on both sides of the family. Let's just say that amputated limbs and lost eyesight isn't the way I choose to go either.

This doctor doesn't seem to have anything to back up his opinion except his own 'experience' and since it appears he has never used the drugs in questions, for himself or patients, I would say that he has no experience with them at all. Just a desire for his 15 minutes.

eta: "No one feels worse for a high blood sugar...". Now I know he's a quack because I feel like shit when my sugar goes too high and I'm a controlled diabetic. Extreme high blood sugar can kill you. Hope Dr. Ducky doesn't find out the hard way.