Clipping Board » Disease & Prevention ─ Understanding diseases, prevention is better than cure.
United Evening News / Reporter Li Shuren / Taipei Report 2008.01.10 03:04 pm
Is the blood of Taiwanese people becoming oilier and murkier? The Blood Foundation has found that the blood of donors is increasingly fatty. Clinical estimates from the medical community suggest that as many as 1.31 million people in Taiwan suffer from hyperlipidemia and require treatment, but less than half of them are actually taking medication.
Wu Zao-zhong, an associate professor at National Taiwan University Hospital, stated that the Westernization of the Taiwanese diet, combined with insufficient exercise, has indeed led to a decline in blood quality. Many young people are showing elevated cholesterol levels, even reaching the stage where treatment is necessary.
Wu pointed out that due to the large number of people in Taiwan suffering from hyperlipidemia, the Health Insurance Bureau's diagnostic criteria are quite strict. The standard total cholesterol level for the general population is 200mg/dl; exceeding this value is considered high. For individuals with diabetes or a history of stroke, the standard is even lower, with treatment goals aiming to reduce total cholesterol to 160mg/dl and LDL cholesterol to below 100mg/dl.
Source: http://www. udn. com/ 2008/ 1/ 10/ NEWS/ HEALTH/ HEA1/ 4174774. shtml
United Evening News / Reporter Li Shuren / Taipei Report 2008.01.10 03:04 pm
The Department of Health issued a warning yesterday regarding the cholesterol-lowering drug "Lipitor" (brand name Lipitor). The public should be aware of drug interactions when taking it. Patients who have had a stroke may be at increased risk of hemorrhagic stroke when taking the drug. Many patients anxiously consulted their doctors this morning, worried about whether they might suffer a stroke as a result.
In response, Wu Zao-zhong, associate professor at National Taiwan University Hospital, emphasized that the dosage of Atorvastatin used by participants in the drug safety report released by a British research institution was 80 mg. Domestic doctors almost never use such a high dose of cholesterol-lowering drugs, so the public should not panic.
After carefully reading the relevant clinical research report, Wu Zao-zhong stated that among 4,700 participants who used high doses of cholesterol-lowering drugs, 88 experienced hemorrhagic strokes. At first glance, this figure is indeed concerning for both doctors and patients.
However, the study also found that long-term use of cholesterol-lowering drugs can effectively reduce the incidence of myocardial infarction by 49%, and the incidence of cardiovascular diseases can also be reduced by about 20%.
"Doctor, should I continue taking cholesterol-lowering drugs?" Wu Zao-zhong said that since the news broke yesterday, he has received numerous inquiries from patients, indicating the public's concern about their medication safety.
Wu Zao-zhong believes that abruptly stopping medication could endanger health, as many studies have found that patients with high cholesterol who suddenly stop taking medication have a significantly increased risk of myocardial infarction.
Liu Jia-wei, director of the Department of Neurology at Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, who authored the guidelines for the treatment of hyperlipidemia in stroke patients in Taiwan, shares the same view. Liu Jia-wei said that the medical community currently affirms the effectiveness of cholesterol-lowering drugs in preventing myocardial infarction. Patients currently taking cholesterol-lowering drugs should not suddenly stop taking them out of fear of cerebral hemorrhage.
Liu Jia-wei emphasized that there is indeed a certain relationship between cholesterol and stroke. A large-scale study involving 120,000 people from regions including Japan and mainland China confirmed that high cholesterol may lead to stroke.
However, multiple large-scale clinical studies abroad have also found that even without medication, if cholesterol levels are low, with total cholesterol below 170 mg/dl, the incidence of hemorrhagic stroke may increase by about 1%. If it is below 140 mg/dl, the risk is even higher.
Wu Zao-zhong stated that cholesterol-lowering drugs are very safe, and the public should not panic. If blood cholesterol levels are high and require treatment, patients should follow their doctor's advice and continue taking the medication.
Source: http://www. udn. com/ 2008/ 1/ 10/ NEWS/ HEALTH/ HEA1/ 4174783. shtml
1.31 Million People with High Blood Lipids
Is the blood of Taiwanese people becoming oilier and murkier? The Blood Foundation has found that the blood of donors is increasingly fatty. Clinical estimates from the medical community suggest that as many as 1.31 million people in Taiwan suffer from hyperlipidemia and require treatment, but less than half of them are actually taking medication.
Wu Zao-zhong, an associate professor at National Taiwan University Hospital, stated that the Westernization of the Taiwanese diet, combined with insufficient exercise, has indeed led to a decline in blood quality. Many young people are showing elevated cholesterol levels, even reaching the stage where treatment is necessary.
Wu pointed out that due to the large number of people in Taiwan suffering from hyperlipidemia, the Health Insurance Bureau's diagnostic criteria are quite strict. The standard total cholesterol level for the general population is 200mg/dl; exceeding this value is considered high. For individuals with diabetes or a history of stroke, the standard is even lower, with treatment goals aiming to reduce total cholesterol to 160mg/dl and LDL cholesterol to below 100mg/dl.
Source: http://www. udn. com/ 2008/ 1/ 10/ NEWS/ HEALTH/ HEA1/ 4174774. shtml
Stopping Lipitor Abruptly May Increase Cardiovascular Disease Risk
The Department of Health issued a warning yesterday regarding the cholesterol-lowering drug "Lipitor" (brand name Lipitor). The public should be aware of drug interactions when taking it. Patients who have had a stroke may be at increased risk of hemorrhagic stroke when taking the drug. Many patients anxiously consulted their doctors this morning, worried about whether they might suffer a stroke as a result.
In response, Wu Zao-zhong, associate professor at National Taiwan University Hospital, emphasized that the dosage of Atorvastatin used by participants in the drug safety report released by a British research institution was 80 mg. Domestic doctors almost never use such a high dose of cholesterol-lowering drugs, so the public should not panic.
After carefully reading the relevant clinical research report, Wu Zao-zhong stated that among 4,700 participants who used high doses of cholesterol-lowering drugs, 88 experienced hemorrhagic strokes. At first glance, this figure is indeed concerning for both doctors and patients.
However, the study also found that long-term use of cholesterol-lowering drugs can effectively reduce the incidence of myocardial infarction by 49%, and the incidence of cardiovascular diseases can also be reduced by about 20%.
"Doctor, should I continue taking cholesterol-lowering drugs?" Wu Zao-zhong said that since the news broke yesterday, he has received numerous inquiries from patients, indicating the public's concern about their medication safety.
Wu Zao-zhong believes that abruptly stopping medication could endanger health, as many studies have found that patients with high cholesterol who suddenly stop taking medication have a significantly increased risk of myocardial infarction.
Liu Jia-wei, director of the Department of Neurology at Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, who authored the guidelines for the treatment of hyperlipidemia in stroke patients in Taiwan, shares the same view. Liu Jia-wei said that the medical community currently affirms the effectiveness of cholesterol-lowering drugs in preventing myocardial infarction. Patients currently taking cholesterol-lowering drugs should not suddenly stop taking them out of fear of cerebral hemorrhage.
Liu Jia-wei emphasized that there is indeed a certain relationship between cholesterol and stroke. A large-scale study involving 120,000 people from regions including Japan and mainland China confirmed that high cholesterol may lead to stroke.
However, multiple large-scale clinical studies abroad have also found that even without medication, if cholesterol levels are low, with total cholesterol below 170 mg/dl, the incidence of hemorrhagic stroke may increase by about 1%. If it is below 140 mg/dl, the risk is even higher.
Wu Zao-zhong stated that cholesterol-lowering drugs are very safe, and the public should not panic. If blood cholesterol levels are high and require treatment, patients should follow their doctor's advice and continue taking the medication.
Source: http://www. udn. com/ 2008/ 1/ 10/ NEWS/ HEALTH/ HEA1/ 4174783. shtml