Highly Controversial Drug Company Document Revealing A Very Different Perspective On The Development Of Heart Disease

[Guest guest]

http://www.redflagsweekly.com/kendrick/2004_june27.html

 

On Discovering A Highly Controversial Drug Company

Document Revealing A Very Different Perspective On The

Development Of Heart Disease - One Contrary To The

Same Company's Aggressive Promotion Of Its Drugs To

Treat High Blood Pressure And Lower Cholesterol

 

By RFD Columnist Dr. Malcolm Kendrick

(email - malcolm)

 

They say you should never explain a joke, because then

it just isn’t funny any more. I quite agree, but

something made me laugh over the weekend, and there is

no way that I can get anyone to understand why without

explaining it.

 

I shall attempt to set the scene.

 

There is a company which makes billions of dollars

each year selling drugs that lower the blood pressure

and the cholesterol levels of millions of people. This

company now promotes the doctrine that there is no

such thing as a cholesterol level, or a blood pressure

level, that can be too low. Whatever the level, lower

it. For these two risk factors are major killers and

they must be hunted down and beaten with a big club.

 

As anyone who reads my words of wisdom by now will

know, I don’t think that lowering cholesterol levels

or the blood pressure has any effect on heart disease.

I believe, instead, that heart disease is primarily

due to damaging the lining of the blood vessel wall

(endothelial dysfunction), followed by the development

of a blood clot over the area of damage (thrombus

formation).

 

Repeated episodes of endothelial dysfunction, and

clotting, lead to the build up of a ‘layered’ plaque

that can eventually rupture, creating a massive clot,

or thrombus, which completely blocks the artery

causing a myocardial infarction, or heart attack.

Therefore, in order to prevent heart disease, you need

to enhance the ‘health’ of the lining of the blood

vessel wall and reduce factors in the blood that

stimulate blood clotting.

 

So my views and the views of this company would appear

to be dissonant – to put it politely.

 

Instead of promoting the massive benefits of blood

pressure lowering I would say things like ‘The

identification and management of patients with

hypertension has not had as large and impact on the

incidence of coronary heart disease as might be

expected.’

 

Or ‘To date, most of our attempts to prevent

atherosclerosis have centered on the control of

hypertension and hyperlipidaemia, as well as lifestyle

risk factors. However, recent insights into the

pathology of coronary heart disease have sharpened our

focus on the natural history of atheroma…’

 

I would add that ‘Several features of mature plaques,

such as their multilayered pattern, suggest that

platelet aggregation and thrombus formation are key

elements in the progression of atherosclerosis…. Given

the insidious nature of atherosclerosis, it is vital

to consider the role of platelets and thrombosis in

this process…’

 

Furthermore ‘Rupture of these plaques and the cascade

of events that leads to thrombosis can occur rapidly

and is now recognized as a common and major

precipitant of unstable angina, myocardial infarction

and sudden cardiac death. Studies suggest that

thrombotic events may account for up to 90% of

myocardial infarctions.’

 

As you have probably guessed by now, I am quoting from

a document. A document produced twelve years ago by a

major pharmaceutical company in the year of our Lord

nineteen ninety two. This document was written at a

time when this company did not have a cholesterol

lowering agent, nor at that time (although this was

about to change), a major antihypertensive drug.

 

What they did have was a product which lowered blood

pressure, a bit. But more importantly, this product

also had strong, additional, anti-coagulant

properties. Thus, in nineteen ninety two, the message

of the company was clear. Blood pressure and

cholesterol lowering is really not that important.

What you must do, if you want to protect against heart

disease, is to prevent blood clots.

 

In order to promote this message they produced a short

document called ‘Pathologic triggers - New insights

into cardiovascular risk’. Someone I know discovered

this whilst clearing out their desk. They thought I

would find it funny, and I did. However, it was also a

bit weird to find myself looking at my own thoughts on

heart disease written down by someone else.

 

What amused me most was the fact that this company now

completely disowns such arrant nonsense. ‘Heart

disease is caused by endothelial dysfunction and

thrombus formation! Whoever heard of such rubbish? It

is blood pressure and cholesterol, BLOOD PRESSURE AND

CHOLESTEROL! – you dolt.’

 

However, I must admit that the amusement faded rather

rapidly. I now just feel somewhat empty and depressed

to note that, when a major pharmaceutical company

changes its mind, otherwise known as ‘now having to

market a statin and a blood pressure lowering drug,’

they can change the mind of the entire medical

research community. ‘Forget blood clots guys, it’s all

due to cholesterol and blood pressure. Got that!’

 

‘Duh, yeh sure boss. We got it.’ (In the

voice of Bennie, from Top Cat.)

 

For those who have read Animal Farm by George Orwell,

this is frighteningly close to satire springing

directly to life. For those who have not read this

book, it starts with the pigs on the farm leading a

revolt to get rid of the farmer. Naturally using the

other animals to take all the risks.

 

Once the farmer has gone the pigs take over the farm

and use as their party slogan, ‘Four legs good, two

legs bad.’ Some time later, the pigs start smoking

cigars and walking on their hind legs. At which point

the slogan is changed to: ‘Four legs good, two legs

better.’ A one hundred and eighty degree shift that is

swallowed, without question, by the other animals.

 

You probably want to know the name of the company that

has now declared four legs good, two legs better.

Well, I suspect that you can probably guess. As for

getting hold of a copy of this booklet. I rather think

that I now own the only copy left in existence. It

could be a collector’s item. Perhaps I could sell it

back to …..

[Guest guest]

all, What ever happened to Adele Davis' idea that Lecithin could help clear

the arteries? NG

 

 

(Moderator's Note)

(NG,

That is still valid. Nutritional elements bring about and are the basis for

artery and heart " health " . Lecithin, viamins E,C, and A especially, but all of

the nutrients in lavish quantities. Good oils instead of bad ones,(Omega 3's,

etc.) etc..

 

The drug companies and the politicians do not want people to be healthy. They

are interested in selling " pills " instead. Their bottom line is the bottom line.

To sell pills they first have to sell you on an idea that will make you

" unwell " . In the last 60 -70 years, real health could have been achieved only if

a person almost did the complete opposite of what the medical establishment and

the government have been telling them to do for " health " .

 

I recommend that everyone buy old paperback copies of Adele Davis' books and

read them for a basic education and to keep them for reference. They are usually

available for about $1 or less at used book stores or also available on the web

where used books are sold. F.)

 

 

-

" Frank " <califpacific

<alternative_medicine_forum >

Tuesday, July 13, 2004 10:40 PM

Highly Controversial Drug Company

Document Revealing A Very Different Perspective On The Development Of Heart

Disease

 

 

> http://www.redflagsweekly.com/kendrick/2004_june27.html

>

> On Discovering A Highly Controversial Drug Company

> Document Revealing A Very Different Perspective On The

> Development Of Heart Disease - One Contrary To The

> Same Company's Aggressive Promotion Of Its Drugs To

> Treat High Blood Pressure And Lower Cholesterol

>

> By RFD Columnist Dr. Malcolm Kendrick

> (email - malcolm)

>

> They say you should never explain a joke, because then

> it just isn't funny any more. I quite agree, but

> something made me laugh over the weekend, and there is

> no way that I can get anyone to understand why without

> explaining it.

>

> I shall attempt to set the scene.

>

> There is a company which makes billions of dollars

> each year selling drugs that lower the blood pressure

> and the cholesterol levels of millions of people. This

ant - to put it politely.

>

>