Statins can damage the lining of blood vessels

This study was published in Life Sciences 2013 Mar 18

 

Study title and authors:

Statin Therapy Influences Endothelial Cell Morphology and F-Actin Cytoskeleton Structure When Exposed to Static and Laminar Shear Stress Conditions.

Dick M, Jonak P, Leask RL.

Department of Chemical Engineering, McGill University, 3610 University Avenue, Montreal, Quebec, H3A 2B2, Canada.

 

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23517776

The aim of the study was to determine how statin drugs affect endothelial cell shape and F-actin cytoskeleton arrangement. (Endothelial cells are the thin layer of cells that line the interior surface of blood vessels and lymphatic vessels, and F-actin cytoskeleton is part of the cells scaffolding or skeleton). In the study, human endothelial cells were cultured in the laboratory and were then treated with statins.

The study found:
(a) After been treated with statins the endothelial cells became rounded, which is associated with unhealthy cells in arteries prone to developing a build up of plaque.
(b) After been treated with statins the F-actin cytoskeleton structure was disorganized and fragmented which can lead to cell death.

The significance of the results of the study is that endothelial cells and F-actin cytoskeleton arrangement are advesely impacted by statin treatment which may increase the risk of arterial plaque and cell death.

High LDL cholesterol levels reduce the risk of death

This study was published in the Journal of Internal Medicine 2010 Jun;267(6):576-87

 

Study title and authors:

Gender difference of association between LDL cholesterol concentrations and mortality from coronary heart disease amongst Japanese: the Ibaraki Prefectural Health Study.

Noda H, Iso H, Irie F, Sairenchi T, Ohtaka E, Ohta H.

Public Health, Department of Social and Environmental Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Shuita-shi, Osaka, Japan.

 

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20141564

One of the aims of the study was to investigate the relationship between low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels and total death rates. The study included 30,802 men and 60,417 women, aged 40 to 79 years with no history of stroke or coronary heart disease who were followed for ten years.

The study found:
(a) Men with the highest LDL cholesterol levels (over 140 mg/dL or 3.6 mmol/L) had a 29% reduced risk of death compared to men with the lowest LDL cholesterol levels (under 80 mg/dL or 2.0 mmol/L).
(b) Women with the highest LDL cholesterol levels (over 140 mg/dL or 3.6 mmol/L) had a 36% reduced risk of death compared to women with the lowest LDL cholesterol levels (under 80 mg/dL or 2.0 mmol/L).

This ten year study of 91,219 people reveals that men and women with the highest LDL cholesterol levels have around a 30% reduced risk of death compared to men and women with the lowest LDL cholesterol levels.

Statins can impair brain functioning

This paper was published in the Journal of Korean Medical Science 2012 Apr;27(4):458-9

 

Study title and authors:

Reversible dysphasia and statins.

Davies GR.

Department of Psychiatry, University of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia. alienist@ihug.com.au

 

This paper can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22468114

Dysphasia is a partial or complete impairment of the ability to communicate resulting from brain injury.

This paper, authored by Dr Gordon Davies, presents a case of reversible dysphasia occurring in a patient prescribed atorvastatin.

(i) A 58-year-old woman was presented for medicolegal examination with regard to a compensation claim involving allegations of harassment at work producing anxiety and depression. At the time of her initial presentation for treatment her general practitioner had noted that her blood pressure was higher than usual and had prescribed the statin Lipitor (atorvastatin) 10 mg per day together with indapamide 2.5 mg per day.
(ii) A few days later the patient reported that she had developed problems in "word finding" in that her speech would be interrupted because she would be unable to find a word to describe an object.
(iii) The patient ceased the Lipitor and said that her symptoms had resolved quite quickly.
(iv) The patient then commenced on Crestor (rosuvastatin) 5 mg daily while continuing on indapamide and four weeks later at her medico-legal assessment she was noted to have clear but intermittent difficulty in word finding. She was also tense and tearful at times.
(v) She was reviewed two weeks later. At this point she had stopped the rosuvastatin and her speech was fluent and clear. She was continuing to take indapamide 2.5 mg per day.

This case highlights the possibility that statins can impair brain functioning. Dr Davies concludes: "The immediate inference from the above observations is that the patient had developed dysphasia as a direct side effect of the use of simvastatin. That this is likely to have been a generic statin effect is supported by the recurrence of milder symptoms on rosuvastatin and their remission on its cessation. Using the method of attribution recommended by Naranjo and colleagues, see here, it would rate at 9 (definite adverse reaction)".

High cholesterol levels are associated with a reduced risk of cancer

This study was published in PLoS One 2013;8(1):e54242

 

Study title and authors:

Total serum cholesterol and cancer incidence in the metabolic syndrome and cancer project (me-can).

Strohmaier S, Edlinger M, Manjer J, Stocks T, Bjørge T, Borena W, Häggström C, Engeland A, Nagel G, Almquist M, Selmer R, Tretli S, Concin H, Hallmans G, Jonsson H, Stattin P, Ulmer H.

Department of Medical Statistics, Informatics and Health Economics, Innsbruck Medical University, Innsbruck, Austria.

 

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23372693

The objective of this study was to investigate the association between cholesterol levels and cancer incidence. The study included 289,273 male and 288,057 female participants who were followed for 11.7 years.

The study found:
(a) Men with the highest cholesterol levels had a 6% reduced risk of cancer compared with men with the lowest cholesterol levels.
(b) Men with the highest cholesterol levels had a 86% reduced risk of cancer of the liver/intrahepatic bile duct compared with men with the lowest cholesterol levels.
(c) Men with the highest cholesterol levels had a 48% reduced risk of pancreas cancer compared with men with the lowest cholesterol levels.
(d) Men with the highest cholesterol levels had a 33% reduced risk of non-melanoma skin cancer compared with men with the lowest cholesterol levels.
(e) Men with the highest cholesterol levels had a 32% reduced risk of cancers of the lymph-/hematopoietic tissue compared with men with the lowest cholesterol levels.
(f) Women with the highest cholesterol levels had a 14% reduced risk of cancer compared with women with the lowest cholesterol levels.
(g) Women with the highest cholesterol levels had a 77% reduced risk of gallbladder cancer compared with women with the lowest cholesterol levels.
(h) Women with the highest cholesterol levels had a 30% reduced risk of breast cancer compared with women with the lowest cholesterol levels.
(i) Women with the highest cholesterol levels had a 39% reduced risk of melanoma of skin cancer compared with women with the lowest cholesterol levels.
(j) Women with the highest cholesterol levels had a 39% reduced risk of cancers of the lymph-/hematopoietic tissue compared with women with the lowest cholesterol levels.

The data from the study shows that high cholesterol levels are associated with a reduced risk of cancer.

Statins are associated with impaired health status in patients fitted with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator

This study was published in the American Journal of Cardiology 2013 Jan 26

 

Study title and authors:

Relation of Statin Therapy to Psychological Functioning in Patients With an Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator.

Hoogwegt MT, Theuns DA, Kupper N, Jordaens L, Pedersen SS.

CoRPS-Center of Research on Psychology in Somatic diseases, Tilburg University, Tilburg, The Netherlands; Department of Cardiology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

 

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23360769

An implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) is a battery-powered device placed under the skin that keeps track of your heart rate. Thin wires connect the ICD to your heart. Abnormal heart rhythms (or arrhythmias) can cause your heart to beat too quickly, too slowly or in an irregular pattern. These heart rhythms can happen suddenly and unexpectedly and sometimes people die as a result. If an abnormal heart rhythm is detected the device will deliver an electric shock to restore a normal heartbeat.

This study investigated the influence of statin therapy on the well-being and health status of patients with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator. The study included 409 patients who completed a health survey before implantation and three, six, and 12 months after implantation of the implantable cardioverter defibrillator. Of the 409 patients, 60% were prescribed statins.

The study found:
(a) Statin use was associated with poorer physical functioning.
(b) Statin use was associated with poorer social functioning.
(c) Statin use was associated with worse depression.

In conclusion, statin therapy was associated with impaired health status in patients fitted with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator.

Low LDL cholesterol levels are associated with an elevated risk of death from liver cancer

This study was published in the Tohoku Journal of Experimental Medicine 2013;229(3):203-11

 

Study title and authors:

Low Serum LDL Cholesterol Levels Are Associated with Elevated Mortality from Liver Cancer in Japan: the Ibaraki Prefectural Health Study.

Saito N, Sairenchi T, Irie F, Iso H, Iimura K, Watanabe H, Muto T, Ota H.

Department of Public Health, Dokkyo Medical University School of Medicine.

 

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23445767

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels and liver cancer death rates. The study included a total of 16,217 persons (5,551 men and 10,666 women), aged 40-79 years, who were followed for 15 years. The participants were divided into four categories of LDL cholesterol levels.
(i) Less than 80 mg/dL (2.06 mmol/L).
(ii) 80-99 mg/dL (2.06-2.56 mmol/L).
(iii) 100-119 mg/dL (2.57-3.07 mmol/L).
(iv) More than 120 mg/dL (3.1 mmol/L).

The study found:
(a) Those with LDL cholesterol levels below 80 mg/dL (2.06 mmol/L) had a 333% increased risk of death from liver cancer compared to those with LDL cholesterol levels of 100-119 mg/dL (2.57-3.07 mmol/L).
(b) Those with LDL cholesterol levels of 80-99 mg/dL (2.06-2.56 mmol/L) had a 3% increased risk of death from liver cancer compared to those with LDL cholesterol levels of 100-119 mg/dL (2.57-3.07 mmol/L).
(c) Those with LDL cholesterol levels above 120 mg/dL (3.1 mmol/L) had a 57% REDUCED risk of death from liver cancer compared to those with LDL cholesterol levels of 100-119 mg/dL (2.57-3.07 mmol/L).

The researchers conclude: "Low LDL cholesterol levels are associated with elevated risk of liver cancer mortality".

Analysis of data from randomised statin trials finds that statin users have a 6% increased risk of diabetes

This paper was published in Diabetes Care 2009 Oct;32(10):1924-9

 

Study title and authors:

Statin therapy and risk of developing type 2 diabetes: a meta-analysis.

Rajpathak SN, Kumbhani DJ, Crandall J, Barzilai N, Alderman M, Ridker PM.

Department of Epidemiology and Population Health and Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, New York. srajpath@aecom.yu.edu

 

This paper can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19794004/

This paper is a meta-analysis of randomised statin trials that evaluated the effect of statin therapy on diabetes risk. The researchers conducted a systematic literature search for randomised statin trials that reported data on diabetes. They found six trials which included 57,593 patients with an average follow-up of 3.9 years during which 2,082 diabetes cases accrued.

This analysis of six randomised statin trials found that statin use was associated with a 6% increase in the incidence of diabetes.