Under what situations are they over prescribed? I know that statins are pretty much bread and butter for preventing heart attacks in diabetics.

The main danger I've heard doctors speak about is the function of what the drug does. It basically calcifies your arteries and scrapes them, which is good at removing plaque build up from fat, but it's also dangerous to scrape up the tissues and healthy blood cells.

This is a shitty source, but there are better ones that say the same thing: http://healthimpactnews.com/2015/the-grave-dangers-of-statin-drugs-and-the-surprising-benefits-of-cholesterol/

•Statins interfere with the production of coenzyme Q10, which supports the body’s immune and nervous systems, boosts heart and other muscle health, maintains normal blood pressure, and much more.
•Statins weaken the immune system, make it difficult to fight off bacterial infections, and increase the production of cytokines, which trigger and sustain inflammation.
•They make some patients unable to concentrate or remember words, and are linked to muscle and neurological problems, including Lou Gehrig’s Disease.
•Statins inhibit the beneficial effects of omega-3 fatty acids by promoting the metabolism of omega-6 fatty acids, which increases insulin resistance and the risk of developing diabetes.
•There is evidence that statin use blocks the benefits of exercise. Exercise increases the activity and numbers of mitochondria, cells’ “power plants” that process sugars and fat. The study found that with statin use, mitochondrial activity actually decreases with exercise.
•Statins work by reducing the body’s ability to produce cholesterol, which is essential to brain health—the brain is 2% of the body’s weight, but contains 25% of the entire body’s cholesterol.
•Statin users have a higher incidence of nerve degeneration and pain, memory loss, confusion, depression, and a higher risk of ALS and Parkinson’s, according to Dr. David Williams in his July 2014 Alternatives newsletter. Statins also decrease carotenoid levels. Carotenoids, which are found in fresh fruits and vegetables and act as antioxidants, have a number of benefits, including protecting against cell damage, aging, and chronic diseases.
•Statin drugs may also be driving Americans to overeat: a twelve-year study published in JAMA Internal Medicine found that statin users increased their calorie intake by 9%, and fat consumption by 14.4%, over the study period, whereas those who didn’t take statins didn’t significantly change in either measure.
•An animal study linked statin use to muscle damage. Animals that exercised on statins had 226% more muscle damage than those not given statins.
•They affect the quality of sleep.
•Statins increase the risk of prostate and breast cancer.
•Statins are known to cause liver damage by increasing the liver’s production of digestive enzymes.
•Statins also speed aging and lower sex drive.
•Statins have been linked to aggressive and violent behavior in women.

This post was edited by AspenSniper on Jun 20 2017 08:25am

There's always risks, I wanna know under what conditions are they prescribed when the risks clearly don't outweigh the benefits.

Otherwise saying it's over prescribed is nonsense.

I researched this a ton like 2 years ago. I'll have to dig up the old stuff I found that backs it.

Essentially what it showed is that if you had a heartattack/stroke already and want to prevent another, good call. If you're already over 65, good call. If you're just a fat 40 year old with cholesterol too high, cut out the donuts, go to the gym, don't take a risky pill.

^ give us medical advice bazi, the hippocratic oath demands it

This post was edited by duffman316 on Jun 20 2017 09:18am

But what if you have no/little reason to believe they will follow through with weight loss? Compliance with medical instructions is something you muse take into account when considering risk and reward.

#fatlogic

How about telling them the truth and letting them make a decision?

Guess you never realized that patients have the right to refuse treatment and participate in their own care.

It's okay, you're pathetically ignorant about every other topic, why should this be any different.

...and yet the AHA supports expanding the thresholds for prescription to younger people and less risk factors. The AHA isn't a public interest group, it's an industry interest group.

Because the number of connections in my brain are over 9000.

Doctors lying about science is generally bad.