Statins ‘much better’ than supplements for reducing heart attack risk, study finds: Shot

While millions of Americans are prescribed statins to reduce their risk of heart disease, many prefer to take supplements such as fish oil, garlic and flaxseed.

Peter Daisley/Getty Images

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Peter Daisley/Getty Images

While millions of Americans are prescribed statins to reduce their risk of heart disease, many prefer to take supplements such as fish oil, garlic and flaxseed.

Peter Daisley/Getty Images

If you were prescribed a drug to lower your risk of heart attack or stroke, would you take it?

Millions of Americans are prescribed statins such as Lipitor, Crestor, or generics to lower cholesterol.

Some people worry about potential side effects, such as leg cramps, that may or may not be drug-related. fish oil and other dietary supplements often marketed to omega-3 supplements (Omega-3s are essential fatty acids found in fish and flaxseeds.) rising in popularity.

So which one works best? Researchers at the Cleveland Clinic set out to answer this question by comparing statins and supplements in clinical trials. They tracked outcomes in 190 adults aged 40 to her 75 years. For some participants, he took rosuvastatin, a statin marketed under the brand name Crestor, at 5 mg daily for 28 days. Others were given supplements such as fish oil, cinnamon, garlic, turmeric, plant sterols, or red yeast rice for the same period.

Astra Zeneca, the maker of Crestor, sponsored this study, but the researchers independently designed the study and performed the statistical analysis.

“What we found was that rosuvastatin lowered LDL cholesterol by almost 38%, significantly better than placebo or any of the six supplements studied in this study,” said the study authors. increase. Luke Ruffin, M.D. A physician from the Heart, Vascular and Thoracic Institute at the Cleveland Clinic told NPR: He says this level of reduction is enough to lower the risk of heart attack and stroke. Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

“These supplements are often marketed as a ‘natural way’ to lower cholesterol,” says Ruffin. None. LDL cholesterol is considered “bad cholesterol.” This is because it can cause plaque to build up in the walls of your arteries. This narrows the arteries and can cause a heart attack or stroke.

“Clearly, statins work as intended,” study senior author Steve Nissen, M.D. A cardiologist and chief academic officer at the Heart, Vascular and Thoracic Institute at the Cleveland Clinic told NPR. does not promote heart health.It does not improve bad cholesterol levels.” Nissen says supplements can be expensive compared to statin drugs. The out-of-pocket cost for rosuvastatin may be less than $5.00 per month, according to the report.

“Statins are the most effective heart attack and stroke prevention drugs we’ve ever seen,” he said. Michael Honigberg, MD, is a cardiologist and researcher at Massachusetts General Hospital and is not involved in the new research. He says the new findings add to the already overwhelming body of evidence showing that statins lower LDL cholesterol, so it’s no surprise to see that supplements aren’t as effective.

But not everyone with a family history of heart disease or slightly elevated cholesterol needs to take a statin, he says. prescribing guidelines. Usually, if your LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) is 190 or higher, you are often advised to start a statin. medical professionals should risk calculator Estimate the risk of having a heart attack or stroke over the next 10 years. Statins may be recommended if the risk is high enough based on factors such as age, blood pressure, and smoking status.

Horningberg recommends that for people with slightly elevated cholesterol but not high risk enough to be prescribed statins, focus on diet and exercise rather than buying supplements. to save money and instead spend that money on heart-healthy, high-quality food. mediterranean diet healthy fats, plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, dash diet, significantly reduces the risk of heart disease. “I think the formula that we probably don’t use enough of is that food is a drug, and perhaps a more effective drug than supplements.

The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Medicine, part of the National Institutes of Health, also concludes, based on previous research: Omega-3 supplements do not reduce heart disease riskHowever, eating fish containing omega-3 fatty acids has been associated with reduced risk. This suggests that omega-3 fatty acids are most beneficial as part of a healthy diet. It is worth noting that an NIH review concluded that omega-3 supplements may help alleviate symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. also has added omega-3s. The NIH review also concluded that omega-3 supplements may lower triglycerides, a type of fat found in the blood. It states that it may be recommended for “a small subset of

For those who are at high risk for heart disease and need statin prescriptions, Dr. Horningberg says he spends a good deal of time with patients and concerns.

“We’re talking about a good safety profile and a very low risk of side effects,” he says. He describes the risk of serious side effects as “very small.” increase.

Patients may stop taking statins because they believe they are causing certain side effects.But Horningberg points out double-blind Research study When patients were given a placebo instead of a statin, they reported feeling almost the same side effects. That’s it,” he says.