FW: Important Statin Drug Information

[Guest guest]

For those of you who did not receive this from Tishcon (Epic4Health), it is

something I think we all need to be aware of.

laurie

Statin Drugs and CoQ10

H. Langsjoen, M.D., F.A.C.C.

STATIN-INDUCED CARDIOMYOPATHY

Statin Drugs and CoQ10

NOTE: we originally sent the information contained in this email out two

years ago on July 11, 2002 -- not much has changed since then except that

evidence keeps mounting that Statin Drugs decrease levels of CoQ10. A very

recent study published in June 2004 is titled Atorvastatin Decreases the

Coenzyme Q10 Level in the Blood of Patients at Risk for Cardiovascular

Disease and Stroke. This study was published in Arch Neurol / Vol. 61, June

2004 and was conducted by Doctors at the Department of Neurology, Columbia

University, College of Physicians & Surgeons, New York, NY. The published

conclusion of this study was: " Even brief exposure to atorvastatin " ,

(Lipitor), " causes a marked decrease in blood CoQ10 concentration.

Widespread inhibition of CoQ10 synthesis could explain the most commonly

reported adverse effects of statins, especially exercise intolerance,

myalgia, and myoglobinuria. " The original July 2002 email is repeated below:

This entire email is devoted to statin drugs, (Zocor, Lipitor and other

brands) I hope that you'll take the time to read it. Why? Because 25 Million

people take statin drugs, so, even if you are NOT on a statin drug at the

present time, chances are good that you know somebody who is or that you

will be placed on statin drug in the future. The information here could save

you a lot of needless fatigue, muscle weakness, soreness and even heart

failure.

On May 24, 2002, Dr. n M. Whitaker, M.D. filed a Citizen Petition with

the Department of Health and Human Service Food and Drug Administration in

Washington, D.C. requesting that the FDA act immediately to require that the

labeling for all HMG Co-A reductase inhibitors (statins), include the

following warning statement:

Warning: HMG Co-A reductase inhibitors block the endogenous biosynthesis of

an essential co-factor, coenzyme Q10, required for energy production. A

deficiency of coenzyme Q10 is associated with impairment of myocardial

function, with liver dysfunction and with myopathies (including

cardiomyopathy and congestive heart failure). All patients taking HMG Co-A

reductase inhibitors should therefore be advised to take 100 to 200 mg per

day of supplemental coenzyme Q10.

Q-Gel Dosage Note: I am NOT an MD so really can not advise any particular

individual in this area. However, I can let you know what some of the MD's

who buy from us tell their patients on a statin drug -- they suggest 60 to

100mg Q-Gel CoQ10 per day. The lower dosage is due to Q-Gel's higher

absorption rate.

The Statin drugs to be covered under this warning are: Mevacor (lovastatin),

Lescol (fluvastatin), Pravachol (pravastatin), Zocor (simvastatin), Lipitor

(atorvastatin), and Advicor (lovastatin).

The complete Petition can be found on the fda.gov web site. The file is in a

PDF format so you will need Adobe Acrobat to view it. Here is the complete

link:

H. Langsjoen, M.D., F.A.C.C.

An attached 20 page report to the petition was written by H.

Langsjoen, M.D., F.A.C.C. and can also be found on the fda.gov web site

(also in PDF format). Here is the complete link:

Before going to the FDA web site, you may want to read the introduction to

the petition, (below), which was also written by H. Langsjoen, M.D.,

F.A.C.C. It is a very clear explanation of the situation. I hope you will

find it informative.

STATIN-INDUCED CARDIOMYOPATHY

INTRODUCTION TO THE CITIZEN’S PETITION ON STATINS

By H. Langsjoen, MD

The medical profession has, after more than 30 years of excellent

propaganda, successfully created the wholly iatrogenic - " pseudo-disease "

dubbed " hypercholesterolemia " and the associated malady " cholesterol

neurosis " . After decades of dismal failure to cure this " disease " of numbers

with low fat diets and a host of cholesterol lowering drugs, the medical

profession stumbled upon the magic bullet, the cure for this dreaded

artificial disease - statins (HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors). First released

on the US market in 1987, statins have rapidly grown into one of the most

widely prescribed class of drugs in history. Statins do three things:

1. They block the body's ability to make cholesterol, thus lowering the

blood level of cholesterol, thereby curing cholesterol neurosis. Doctors and

patients equally neurotic have immediate gratification. The " evil " high

cholesterol has been dramatically lowered and the future is bright and

promising. So far...so good.

2. Unrelated to their cholesterol lowering, statins have been found to have

anti-inflammatory, plaque-stabilizing properties which have a slight benefit

in coronary heart disease.

3. Statins kill people - lots of people - and they wound many, many more.

All patients taking statins become depleted in Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10),

eventually - those patients who start with a relatively low CoQ10 levels

(the elderly and patients with heart failure) begin to manifest

signs/symptoms of CoQ10 deficiency relatively rapidly - in 6 to 12 months.

Younger, healthier people who's only " illness " is the non-illness

" hypercholesterolemia " can tolerate statins for several years before getting

into trouble with fatigue, muscle weakness and soreness (usually with normal

muscle enzyme CPK tests) and most ominously - heart failure.

In my practice of 17 years in Tyler, Texas, I have seen a frightening

increase in heart failure secondary to statin usage, " statin

cardiomyopathy " . Over the past five years, statins have become more potent,

are being prescribed in higher doses, and are being used with reckless

abandon in the elderly and in patients with " normal " cholesterol levels. We

are in the midst of a CHF epidemic in the US with a dramatic increase over

the past decade. Are we causing this epidemic through our zealous use of

statins? In large part I think the answer is yes. We are now in a position

to witness the unfolding of the greatest medical tragedy of all time - never

before in history has the medical establishment knowingly (Merck & Co., Inc.

has two 1990 patents combining CoQ10 with statins to prevent CoQ10 depletion

and attendant side effects) created a life threatening nutrient deficiency

in millions of otherwise healthy people, only to then sit back with

arrogance and horrific irresponsibility and watch to see what happens - as I

see two to three new statin cardiomyopathies per week in my practice, I

cannot help but view my once great profession with a mixture of sorrow and

contempt.

Statin-induced CoQ10 depletion is the topic of a recent petition to the FDA

requesting that this drug/nutrient interaction be identified in a black box

warning as part of statin package insert information. A comprehensive review

of animal and human trials addressing this issue has been submitted to the

FDA as a supporting document. We, of course, do not expect any response from

the FDA, but 10 years from now when the full extent of statin toxicity

becomes painfully evident, at least we can, in good conscience, know that we

tried and who knows, sometimes small sparks may spread in dry grass.