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New Study To Test Statin-Parkinston's Link
Science Daily ^ | 1-18-2007 | SCI

Posted on 01/19/2007 11:08:25 AM PST by blam

Source: Society of Chemical Industry
Date: January 18, 2007

New Study To Test Statin-Parkinson's Link

Science Daily — Researchers are sufficiently worried by new study results that they are planning clinical trials involving thousands of people to examine the possible link between Parkinson's disease and statins, the world biggest selling drugs, reports Patrick Walter in Chemistry & Industry, the magazine of the SCI.

Suggestions of a statin link are not new, but the results of a recent study linking low LDL cholesterol to Parkinson's provide the strongest evidence to date that it could be real, because statins work by reducing LDL cholesterol. The study by researchers at University of North Carolina showed that patients with low levels of LDL cholesterol are more than three and a half times more likely to develop Parkinson's disease than those with higher LDL levels.

When asked whether she was concerned by the new results, study leader Xuemei Huang said: 'Yes I am very concerned, which is why I am planning a 16000-patient prospective study to examine the possible role of statins.' Huang was quick to point out, however, that a causal link with statins had not yet been proven. And Yoav Ben-Shlomo, a professor of clinical epidemiology at University of Bristol said that it is also a possibility that LDL cholesterol is a consequence rather than a cause of Parkinson's.

But according to Huang, the well-established link between Parkinson's and apoE2, a gene associated with lower LDL cholesterol, supports her theory that low LDL is the culprit in many cases of Parkinson's.

Huang says that if there is a link with statins, we could see big surges in the number of Parkinson's diagnoses in the next five years, because at that stage, statins will have been in common usage for more than a decade.

Huang's new study will examine the statin link. A total of 16000 patients for whom 20 years of baseline fasting cholesterol measurements are available will be involved. Another large-scale trial investigating a cholesterol link with Parkinson's risk is underway at Harvard. This study differs in that there are no baseline data available for the study group.

Pfizer's statin Lipitor is the world's biggest selling drug with $12.2bn in sales in 2005. Parkinson's has previously been linked with pesticides. Pfizer were unavailable for comment.


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: cholesterol; parkinsons; statin; study
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To: spacejunkie

Statins are a class of drugs used to lower blood cholesterol.


21 posted on 01/19/2007 12:49:13 PM PST by freespirited (Honk for disbarment of Mike Nifong.)
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To: spacejunkie
Statin's [wiki.org]
22 posted on 01/19/2007 12:49:52 PM PST by AFreeBird (If American "cowboy diplomacy" did not exist, it would be necessary to invent it.)
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To: Brad Cloven
"What are you really going to die of (statistically speaking)? Heart attack or stroke. Zocor works for me!"

No question that it works it just comes with incredible side effects. The CoQ-10 issue is completely resersable with supplementation. I figure, hmmm, heart faliure or take a supplement, pretty easy choice.

23 posted on 01/19/2007 12:52:32 PM PST by marlon
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To: spacejunkie
Statins are:

Mevacor (generic lovastatinon walmarts $4 generic list)
Zocor (generic simvastatin)
Pravachol (generic pravastatin on Walmarts $4 generic list)
and Lipitor (no generic available)

All are FDA controlled drugs.

There are aslo non-statin cholesterol drugs that work on the intestinal absorption like Zetia.
24 posted on 01/19/2007 12:54:05 PM PST by Investment Biker
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To: AFreeBird

Thanks! I will def. check out his site.


25 posted on 01/19/2007 12:59:18 PM PST by spacejunkie
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To: blam

I have never been able to take the statins, my body rejects them, and have just been waiting for the cholesterol craze to subside and something else take its place.


26 posted on 01/19/2007 12:59:25 PM PST by greyfoxx39 (Bill Clinton soiled his legacy, in retaliation the DBM is soiling President Bush's legacy.)
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To: freespirited

right, thanks. I knew that, just didn't know if there was any naturally occurring statins like from a food or other drug source.


27 posted on 01/19/2007 1:00:47 PM PST by spacejunkie
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To: AFreeBird
I've known about the coQ=10 deficiency issue related to Statins for a while but I just came across a research paper from a Dr that goes into great detail about it. He says this is going to be one of the biggest healthcare crisis to come down the pike ever. So many are on them and it's only a matter ofd time that people using them will have congestive heart failure, especially older folks.

My father is 81, has had a heart attack and quad bypass 20 years ago. He's been on Statin for quite a while now and recently his heart functions have been getting weaker. I happen to sell supplements (not plugging just saying) so for Christmas I gave him my Advanced COQ-10 formula after telling him about the report. I knew he'd never get around to buying them so the Christmas gift worked well. He just called me up yesterday as he was getting ready to go away for a week and asked if I could get him some more before he left as he wanted to make sure he didn't run out while away!

28 posted on 01/19/2007 1:02:31 PM PST by marlon
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To: marlon

Actually, I've read elsewhere that statins seem to lessen to occurrence of heart attacks.


29 posted on 01/19/2007 1:09:53 PM PST by gcruse (http://garycruse.blogspot.com/)
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To: gcruse

And that is the ultimate goal for taking them.


30 posted on 01/19/2007 1:14:44 PM PST by Gamecock (Ecclesia reformata, semper reformanda secundum verbum Dei)
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To: Brad Cloven

My LDL was 120 and my doctor wanted me to go on lipitor. Told her to take a hike...


31 posted on 01/19/2007 1:45:01 PM PST by babygene (Never look into the laser with your last good eye...)
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To: marlon
"CoQ-10 issue is completely reversable with supplementation."

Are there naturally occuring sources? I suspect my varied diet includes whatever's necessary.

32 posted on 01/19/2007 2:13:50 PM PST by Uncle Miltie (McCain / Feingold - 2008 ... "Shut Up or Go To Prison")
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To: Brad Cloven
Re: CO-Q10 There are small amounts in foods but it's made naturally by the body. As you age, it's production tends to decrease. Certain drugs(ie statins,beta blockers) inhibit synthesis of the precursor.
33 posted on 01/19/2007 2:24:40 PM PST by Dysart
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To: spacejunkie
Statins are substances that reduce the production of cholesterol ~ more or less.

Just look them up at www.google.com. There's more information there than any human can deal with.

34 posted on 01/19/2007 3:18:06 PM PST by muawiyah
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To: RatRipper

Only after yer dead and bloated...


35 posted on 01/19/2007 3:19:40 PM PST by null and void (Propaganda doesn't have to make sense. Hell, it often works better if it doesn't.)
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To: RightWhale

FYI: You told me once you took cholesterol lowering medicines.


36 posted on 01/19/2007 3:39:03 PM PST by blam
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To: blam

No, it wasn't that. I was on prescription blood thinners. My blood is probably thick as tar now.


37 posted on 01/19/2007 3:45:30 PM PST by RightWhale (Repeal the law of the excluded middle)
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To: Investment Biker

I usew Red Rice Yeast. A natural statin. I take CoQ10 too. Now what to do?


38 posted on 01/19/2007 3:53:20 PM PST by MrLee
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To: Dysart; muawiyah; RightWhale
Interesting (somewhat) related article:

Coming To A Bad End: Lost Chromosome Tips Linked To Heart problems

39 posted on 01/19/2007 4:28:26 PM PST by blam
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To: blam

Telomeres.
Learned about that from Michio Kaku. Those are the things on the ends of shoelaces, and on the ends of DNA, that keep the fibers from fraying.


40 posted on 01/19/2007 4:38:39 PM PST by RightWhale (Repeal the law of the excluded middle)
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