They're finally figuring it out!

Deb · Post by **Deb** » Thu Feb 06, 2014 5:09 pm

http://www.postbulletin.com/life/health ... a74d9.html

Doctors will no longer simply tell you your treatment plan for cholesterol-lowering statins, if three Mayo Clinic physicians have their way.

Instead, doctors will share the "potential benefits, harm and burdens" of a treatment and patients will then collaborate with their doctors to make treatment decisions based on "existing research and the values and context of each patient."

The physicians submitted a commentary about treatment standards for statins in this week's issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

They suggest the practice of automatically prescribing statins to every healthy person with a 10-year cardiovascular risk of 7.5 or higher should be changed to a system of shared decision-making.

Statins carry risks, such as muscle pain and damage, liver damage, digestive problems, rash, flushing, increased blood sugar, Type 2 diabetes and neurological problems, according to MayoClinic.org.

Fully informing the patient of those complications might alter an individual's interest in taking a statin to decrease risk of heart attack.

"We're creating a much-more sophisticated, patient-centered practice of medicine in which we move the decision-making from the scientist to the patient who is going to experience the consequences of these treatments and the burdens of these interventions," said Mayo endocrinologist Dr. Victor Montori, lead researcher at Mayo's Knowledge and Evaluation Research Unit.

Post by **tex** » Thu Feb 06, 2014 5:45 pm

Hi Deb,

Good for them!

Thanks for the link.

Tex

ldubois7 · Post by **ldubois7** » Thu Feb 06, 2014 7:36 pm

IT'S SO LONG OVERDUE! I NEED MY MOTHER TO HEAR IT!
THANKS, DEB. HOW ARE YOU FEELING?

Deb · Post by **Deb** » Fri Feb 07, 2014 2:07 am

Linda, I am continuing to do quite well. Treating my thyroid seems to have brought me "back to life". How are things going with you? Deb

ldubois7 · Post by **ldubois7** » Fri Feb 07, 2014 1:22 pm

Oh, I'm so glad! You were very sick there for a while!
I'm doing ok, winter is REALLY getting to me! I retired from teaching after 28 years this past June, and with taking care of my health, I haven't had time to concentrate on my next step in life yet. I think that's where I need to head next.
Thanks for asking! :)