Diet vs Statins

Diet Vs. Statins

      Atherosclerotic CVD is the leading cause of early death in the United States. Methods to prevent CVD are continuously being discussed and studied. Drugs, such as statins, as well as dietary changes have both been found to be effective in reducing cholesterol levels in the blood.  It is important to understand how statins and dietary changes both individually affect CVD risk.
      Statins are a drug that are used to lower LDL cholesterol. They have been directly linked with decreased risk of heart attack and stroke. Statin dose is determined based upon level of patient risk. The higher the risk, the stronger the statin dose. Statins have been found to be extremely beneficial to many individuals, however, there are side effects to consider, majority being muscle aches and weakness. These side effects are often the cause of an individual stopping the medication. 
      Diet is another effective way to prevent CVD. A heart-healthy diet should be adopted no matter the level of CVD risk. Meeting at least 3 of the 4 healthful lifestyle factors, including, healthful diet, physical activity, nonsmoking, and not overweight, is associated with lower risk of coronary events. The Mediterranean diet has become the standard for heart-healthy diets and preventing CVD. The Mediterranean diet promotes intake of olive oil, nuts and seeds, fruits, vegetables, high fiber, fish, whole grains, beans, and some meat. However, it has inconsistently been defined in studies, therefore, it is difficult to apply findings. The AHA recommends patient/client-tailored intervention to create a diet tailored to specific clients. This form of intervention may also promote adherence and acceptance to the dietary modifications that are necessary.
      Experts say it is difficult to determine whether diet or a statin is necessarily the "best" method for lowering CVD risk. It is recommended that anyone with a 5% or more risk over 10 years use statins alongside dietary changes. While some individuals would prefer to follow a specific diet, others prefer medication and no change in diet. Another issue that is pointed out is that some people may assume any food, including hot dogs and other highly processed, high-fat, high-sodium items, are okay to eat since they are on a statin. 
      Altogether, it is recommended that all individuals make lifestyle modifications to reduce their risk of coronary events. A healthcare provider will help a client determine if they should also include statin therapy in order to reduce risk. Dietitians should be used to help with diet modification.
      I think this is a very important subject for dietitian's to be made aware of. Given the fact that heart disease is the #1 cause of premature death indicates it is a very large issue in our society. Dietitians are the experts when it comes to nutrition therapy for disease. We must be on the forefront of these disease treatments so that we are able to not only show our worth as healthcare providers, but to hopefully reduce the incidence of coronary events. 


SR

Diet vs Statins
By Densie Webb, PhD, RD
Today's Dietitian
Vol. 19, No. 9, P. 26