Half of Nothing is ????

The latest “magic bullet” hit the headlines yesterday.

“This capsule costs pennies …. halves the number of strokes and heart attacks” – The Independent

Pretty impressive claim considering 208000 people died in 2006 of cardiovascular disease and stroke.

Unfortunately I’m pretty cynical about the outrageous claims made on behalf of mainstream medicine so it was time to check out the actual study at The Lancet

How many people has this pill actually saved so far???? 

None

Not one.

It turns out this wonder pill has only modified a few “risk” factors. Risk factors that are not even present (according to the article) in a third of those who have a heart attack.

Blood pressure reduced, on average by 5-7mmHg (about the normal tolerance range of blood pressure meters and lowered cholesterol by about .7nmol/l.)

Unfortunately, cholesterol is not the big baddy in heart disease. Potato chips are. 

In a recent study, it turned out that statins work (a bit) not by reducing cholesterol but by reducing crp, an inflammatory chemical.

CRP, it turns out, is caused by eating crisps.

So that would seem obvious. Either take an expensive poisonous chemical or stop eating so many crisps and chips.

Which will you choose?

Simon