New Cholesterol Drug Approved For Kids
Cholesterol is important for making our body’s steroids, hormones that control sexual development and reproduction, and the membranes that surround our body’s cells. Just like most good things in life, too much cholesterol can cause problems. We all know about the link between high cholesterol and heart disease. Researchers at Tufts University published a new study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology showing an increased risk for developing cancer when people had high levels of LDL cholesterol — the bad cholesterol. But don’t forget about HDL cholesterol — the good cholesterol. These researchers also showed that there was a 36 percent reduction in cancer risk for every 10 mg/dL increase in HDL. So, as with most things in life, your risk for cancer was reduced when your cholesterol was in a proper, healthy balance.
How do we keep our cholesterol in proper balance? In most cases through good ol’ Fit As Fido lessons — controlling our weight, getting daily exercise, and eating properly.
It’s estimated that over 12 million people take cholesterol-lowering drugs. (If only half of those people had just bought a copy of Fit As Fido!) Cholesterol drugs have become a multi-billion dollar industry! And what’s new with cholesterol drugs? A top-selling drug for cholesterol Lipitor was just approved in the EU for use in children. Is this unusual? Absolutely! Although doctors prescribe a lot of drugs for kids, very few have actually been approved for use in children because of the problems and ethical concerns involved in using children for research studies. Are drugs in kids bad — absolutely not. Many kids need drugs to treat important medical conditions. What caught my eye on this new approval is that our society continues to address health problems related to lifestyle with prescription drugs. Will the drug manufacturer encourage proper diet and exercise among children taking the new, chewable kiddie Lipitor — I’m certain they will. Here’s my peeve. “Healthcare” reform should be about more than getting drugs for everyone for everything. If only we put as much effort, energy, and commitment into ensuring our families follow healthy lifestyle behaviors! While people “don’t have time” for preparing some fruits and vegetables to eat, proper sleep, 20 minutes of daily exercise, and portion control, there sure seems to be plenty of time to call for a new pill, wait in doctor’s offices, stand in line at the pharmacy, and drive all over time finding the pharmacy that now participates with your prescription plan.
Add some real healthcare reform to your life — get Fit As Fido!
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