Fwd: Cholesterol lowering drugs linked to cataracts

[Guest guest]

SSRI-Research , JustSayNo wrote:

http://www.kcom.edu/spotlight/cholesterol_cataracts.htm

 

Cholesterol lowering drugs linked to cataracts

 

Kirksville, Mo.‹Richard Cenedella, Ph.D., chairperson and professor,

biochemistry, of the Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine

(KCOM), a

College of A.T. Still University of Health Sciences, announced today

that a

recent multinational scientific study supports his hypothesis that

brief

exposure to very high levels of some statins may irreversibly damage

the

lens of the eye.

 

The study by Christopher Meier1s of the University Hospital of Basel,

Switzerland, suggests taking the antibiotic erythromycin in

combination with

the popular statin-cholesterol lowering drugs may increase the risk of

cataracts.

 

Statins are used by millions of people to lower blood cholesterol.

These

drugs work by decreasing formation of cholesterol and substances

linked to

making cholesterol. However, erythromycin slows removal of most

statins from

the body and can greatly increase blood levels of these drugs.

 

The study results published in Archives of Internal Medicine,

indicate that

a single course of antibiotic, typically 10 days, appeared to double

the

risk of cataracts and two or more courses tripled the risk.

 

In the online edition of the Journal of Lipid Research in November,

Cenedella and his coworkers report that a specific strain of young

rats

called Chbb:Thom develop permanent cataracts within 3 to 4 weeks when

treated with simvastatin, a Merck & Co. statin sold as Zocor. Of three

different rat strains tested, only the one formed cataracts.

According to

Cenedella, these rats have a defect in controlling the concentration

of a

key enzyme needed to make cholesterol called HMG CoA synthase. The

defect is

believed to prevent these rats from defending against cellular stress

caused

by the statin.

 

Whether some humans have similar defects in HMG CoA synthase is

unknown.

However, according to Cenedella, people can develop cataracts

independent of

statin use because of genetically caused defects in other enzymes

needed to

form cholesterol. The combination of a defect and statin use could

increase

the risk.

 

Although large population studies show statins to be safe to the eye,

Cenedella recommends that because of the great diversity among humans

and

the obvious link between genetics and the rat cataract, safety should

be

assessed in individual ethnic and racial groups. Subtle variations in

the

numerous genes required to make cholesterol, call polymorphisms, may

occur

in specific groups and affect their response to toxins.

 

Assuring safety of the statins is especially important because these

drugs

are intended for life?long use; they are perhaps the most prescribed

drugs

and some experts have even suggested statins for people with normal

blood

cholesterol. Cholesterol lowering drugs have a history of some

unwanted and

dangerous side effects. For example, use of Mer 29, a

nonstatin-cholesterol-lowering drug, was discontinued after

introduction in

the early 1960s because it rapidly caused cataracts in patients and

Baycol,

a statin from Bayer AG, was withdrawn last year after being linked to

at

least 31 deaths related to muscle damage and kidney failure.

 

Dr. Cendella who has been funded by the National Institute of Health

(NIH)

for 28 consecutive years for his cataract research, points out that

although

Meier1s study supports his hypothesis, additional research is

required to

determine the amount of risk increase at which individuals may be

affected.