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Yours in good health,

Dr. Lakin & staff

Statin medications are among the great discoveries of the last century, and have had a strong impact in reducing heart attack and stroke risk in the US.  Despite this, there is a grass-roots effort to discredit these medications based on the concerns that they cause a multiplicity of side effects including dementia most importantly.

 

These has been very little signal among users that these issues are developing, and to add to the scientific understanding, the American Heart Association undertook an extensive review of the literature to reassure that these medication have an overall excellent safety profile.

 

This report confirm the excellent safety record of statin medications and is consistent with my experience. These medications are safe, effective, and rarely cause side effects of concern.

 

Don’t miss out on one of the great inventions of the 20th Century. If you decide to avoid them…perhaps you should toss out your computer, cell phone, and the internet as well. Join the future of those who believe in the science….statins are safe and effective.

 

Read more >>>HERE<<<

All areas of study and action have their virtuoso. That person who is ‘first among equals’; George Washington was most famously, known by this phrase.

 

So too in medicine, there are great specialists and then there are others who are acknowledged as being just a slight cut above those of highest caliber. Here in The Valley, we have so many wonderful physician specialists that it makes medical practice here a pleasure, and it gives me confidence in the care you are getting from these skilled professionals. You can access that list on the RECOMMENDED PROVIDER list on our website.

 

Among those who are recommended, there are some who are the virtuosos. I have found them through professional relationships, but more often from patients who have told me of someone they ran into here or in their hometown, and I have accumulated a list of them. If for some reason you need a medical or surgical virtuoso, be in touch and we’ll either have that name…or we’ll find it.

 

For now, enjoy this musical performance by the virtuoso who got me thinking about this topic …accordionist Alexandr Hrustevich …something truly special.

 

 

Still high risk for flu, but peak is likely over. Still, flu is high fever, aches and pains, sore throat, cough….but you can have other symptoms as well, and there is a lot of ‘mild flu’ out as well. Be in touch if you have concerns….Tamiflu works

 

 

For more Tweets by Dr. Lakin, click HERE!

Doctor Doug:

I heard on the news that one of my  medications was recalled due to chemical concerns and cancer risk.  Can you tell me what you recommend I do?

Sid

 

I responded

Sid;
Right now…..several blood pressure medications are being implicated with concerns of imperfect production with chemical ‘taint’.
The studies do not support any short term worries, but nonetheless, this is not ideal or acceptable over time.

Plan:
1. Call your pharmacy and check to see if your medication lot# has been recalled.

2. Get an alternative producer if your manufacturer or lot has been directly recalled, if available in that pharmacy. If not, call an alternative pharmacy to see about their medication and lots.
2. Return to our website where we will post and updated list on medications that are recalled and resources where you can locate information
3. Continue on your current medication dose and type if it is working as there may be no perfectly safe harbor until this issue is clarified.

D

 

LINKS

Lack of short term risk of tainted medications

https://www.tctmd.com/news/lack-short-term-cancer-risk-tainted-valsartan-reassuring

FDA RECALLS:

https://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/default.htm

FDA EMAIL UPDATES FOR RECALLS (SIGN UP)

http://go.fda.gov/subscriptionmanagement

 

The internet is full of untruths, especially when it comes to comments and concerns about statin therapy.

 

There is a grass-roots effort by the non-medical community to impugn the CHOLESTEROL HYPOTHESIS, a foundational concept in cardiovascular medicine that hold that higher level of cholesterol (LDL/bad fraction) increases the risk of heart disease and lowering this number reduces the risk.

 

So….they comment on data that is critical of this concept or that suggests statin therapy is ineffective, or worse, causes dementia and other major health problems.

 

Nothing could be further from the truth, and the latest study in the NEJM on PRALUENT, a new type of injection medicine to lower cholesterol, has demonstrated definitively that lowering LDL cholesterol to levels previously unobtainable (25-50) and provide improved benefits in the heart and prevent death.

 

PRALUENT, and it’s sister medication REPATHA, are a new set of medications that focus on reducing cholesterol via the PCSK9 receptor pathway.  This is markedly different than the mechanism of action from statins, but it achieves the fundamental same goal….reduction of LDL cholesterol.

 

In this latest study, we finally have ‘endpoint’ results that show longer life in patients who have had an acute MI and who are put on PRALUENT.

 

The exact patients who benefit most from the $600 per month injection therapy (every 2-4 week self-injections) will become clear with additional study, but one this is for certain…the lynchpin CHOLESTEROL HYPOTHESIS continues to hold and inform us on ways to increase longevity in heart disease patients.