Important information about statins that I’m going to ask my doc about

Would anyone know about alternatives to Lisinopril?

Hi karen1945...and did you know that pharmaceutical sales reps bring all kinds of goodies to the office staff of doctors? In fact, there is a database where you can see what doctors receive from such companies. And some physician offices state free lunches in the job description, because drug company reps bring so much complimentary food in.
Still, I take the medicine I know I need....

Yes, I heard that once from a nurse in a doctor’s office. I also heard that doctors are compensated when they prescribe certain drugs. It really is quite a business, isn’t it? I am an organ transplant survivor, so I know that I need to take anti-rejection medicine for the rest of my life. I am eternally grateful to my donor and the wonderful doctors and nurses at Mayo Clinic for saving my life. I have no issue with drugs that are essential. It’s the lack of exploring non-drug options first that irks me. The listed side-effects of the over abundance of drug ads on TV are sometimes worse than the ailment…. death?….. really? Big Pharma is out of control.

Just read this ___ Peripheral neuropathy (damage to nerves of the peripheral nervous system) is found to be associated with 1,264 drugs and 873 conditions by eHealthMe.
We're up the creek!

I think the real problem is that drug companies are allowed to reward doctors for prescribing drugs. This is especially the case with general practitioners. I also learned that when a doctor prescribes a certain medication for me, the drug company has access to the pharmacy data to see if I actually picked it up.
Otherwise, pursuing "non-drug" solutions for specific health issues would require the same research as any "drug" to see if it is safe and effective, what is the ideal dose/quantity etc.
Only the government or a non-profit could take that research on. In fact, the US government does invest in pure R&D. Unfortunately, it often gets reduced because politicians are not supporting it.

@cantab, @karen1945 & @vic83 - There are a lot of issues with the pharmaceutical companies and how drugs (prescription & over the counter) are promoted.

But, there is an UP side as well - the deep pockets allow research that would never otherwise occur. I know the motives is profit, but my niece (a research nurse specializing in post-stroke recovery) tells me at least 50-100 ideas are discarded for every one that becomes a marketable product. So....?

Also, there are efforts to rein in the freebies and resulting over-prescription. The large clinical/hospital practice where I am a patient only allows pharma reps to approach a specific team in the organization. All literature and samples are given to them for evaluation, if they pass muster, the care team gets them. There are NO freebies - lunches, trips, etc - for the team or any employee. My ortho practice has the same policy. As a result, we are not constantly prescribed newer, "better" & more expensive drugs. As a matter of fact, I often learn about them on Mayo Connect or from others, and ask my docs about them! Some state legislatures have also taken steps to limit the drug (and medical appliance) promos, as have some medical associations.

It pays to be a cautious consumer when new meds are prescribed "Is there something else I can try first? Like physical therapy, diet, exercise or a supplement?" "Why is this better than the old one?" How long has it been around?" Is there a generic alternative?"

I just submitted this question, regarding statins, to my primary when I felt like I was being pushed by a cardiologist who is new to me.

Have any of you asked your care providers for a non-prescription alternative treatment?
Sue

Glad to hear that there is an effort to limit the promotional push of drug companies. Healthcare industries were end markets in my job, so I did a lot of research on them. Drug companies would investigate other treatments for each of their targeted markets, because competition comes not only from another drug company, but also from new technologies that would take market share away from a standard drug therapy. But for rare diseases with insignificant markets, I would not expect any kind of investment from a drug company.... they have to answer to the shareholders who don't buy stock for charity.
It is also interesting to look at what happens when a drug comes off patent. To keep a drug under patent, they sometimes make a tweak or change in the manufacturing process.

I posted this on another thread. I would ask my doctor exactly what statins do and why so many people have to discontinue them because of severe, sometimes dangerous, muscle cramping and related side effects. An article in The New York Times about statins had over 2,000 comments, mostly negative by people who had to quit them.
****************
"There are people who simply cannot tolerate statins. I'm one of them. I have tried every one on the market and all of them caused horrendous leg cramping. I mean the kind of cramp where the ankle bends forward so toes are trying to reach shinbone and knee bends so severe that my heel was essentially trying to reach the thigh back. Essentially, my leg accordion pleated and the pain was frightening. I almost called 911 once because I was afraid that I could permanently damage muscles or tendons. (I later found that severe enough cramping can actually do that. ) My cardiologist has other patients who've had the same reaction to those drugs.

I never had a leg cramp in my life before playing with statins. It's been four years since I last took one and the cramps have, slowly, become less severe and less frequent. Buy they're not 100% gone yet either. I've never found the explanation for how/why statins can do this, but it's not uncommon.

For others who have this issue, I've found that I can stop a cramp if, at the very first twitch/sensation, I immediately grab an ice pack and essentially 'pet' (think stroking a puppy) the whole length of the leg. IF I can ice the area soon enough, the full cramp never materializes and muscles slowly reverse the seizing-up process. But the fact that statins caused this intense trigger reaction that is tenacious enough to still cause a problem after this much time is curious to me.
What else do those drugs do?"

@karen1945 @cantab @vic83 @sueinmn and others in this discussion, you may appreciate this article from Mayo Clinic
- Statin side effects: Weigh the benefits and risks https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-cholesterol/in-depth/statin-side-effects/art-20046013

@markdeegan, with respect to statins and memory loss, the above article states:
"The FDA warns on statin labels that some people have developed memory loss or confusion while taking statins. These side effects reverse once you stop taking the medication. There is limited evidence to prove a cause-effect relationship, but talk to your doctor if you experience memory loss or confusion while taking statins.

There has also been evidence that statins may help with brain function — in people with dementia, for example. This is still being studied. Don't stop taking your statin medication before talking to your doctor."

Don’t forget all the subsidies for research from the federal government.