Heart attack Risk- Avandia

After the recent bad press about Avandia (a diabetic drug) featured on a Panarama programme, this drug has now (finally) been recommended to be withdrawn. A recent report by the British Medical Journal says that Avandia should never have been licensed in Britain because its risks outweigh the benefits; and a million prescriptions alone were written for this drug last year in the UK.  Recent studies have shown that this drug can lead to an increase in heart attacks, a risk already raised by having diabetes. Infact diabetes raises your risk of heart disease by around 50%.  As there have been a number of drugs put under the spot light recently (including statins that lower cholesterol), concerns are being raised about how drugs are tested and regulated as much of the research remains buried by the large drug companies. It is perhaps worth pointing out in a society where many people take drugs without a second thought the risks associated. All drugs carry some costs because we did not evolve with any of them but at the same time drugs have also brought significant benefits but, do the benefits always outweigh the costs, and have we become out of balance favouring drugs over a healthy lifestyle?  As Patrick Holford points out in the UK 10,000 people die every year from adverse drug reactions or ADRs. This is many more than the numbers who die in road accidents and a further 40,000 people are made sick enough to have to go to hospital. In the US around 106,000 die- the 4th leading cause of death!  Drugs have their place but learn to look after yourself too- if you want a full health check let me know.

If you are interested have a read of Food is better Medicine than Drugs by Patrick Holford.

Kevin- 26 September.