Why do doctors hand out statins like they are candy to people who don't even have very high cholesterol levels

Question:

One doctor prescribed 4 different statins to my husband over a period of a few years. Each one caused serious chest pains! He had to go to a cardiologist and get tests to figure to that it was the statins (which cause cardiac and muscle wasting in some people), and he was otherwise very healthy. Then I had some cholesterol levels that got high after going on Atkins. My doctor prescribed "Zetia" (a drug that is not a statin but has similar side effects) and I also developed some muscle problems that led to an injury and a few months of physical therapy. Guess what? I figured it out and within 2 days of stopping Zetia, everything was almost back to normal!
Don't tell me that this side-effect is "rare"! It's probably present to some extent in a large fraction of the population. Doctors are handing statins, fosamax and anti-depressants (which I refuse to take) like candy. Go ahead and blame it on the patients if you like. It's all about the money for some of you.

Answers:
A doctor will only do what he is trained to do. He is told that these drugs are best for that condition so that is what he prescribes. If you want to blame anybody blame the pharmaceutical companies, they have a bigger control over the teaching of doctors than anybody else. They have the power and influence with the medical community and the government. A large percentage of the people in charge of the FDA retire to the private sector and to jobs with the pharmaceutical companies so why wreck their gravy train. There are alternatives that are just as effective that do not cause side effects. I have seen what they can do and it is awesome.

Other Answers:
It's not all about money, Honey..
It's true that some people are more prone to side-effects of a particular drug than others.
Try other specialist than the one you visit currently & may be things will be different.

that's the problem with medicine, docs are too quick to give a pill rather than letting body try and cure itself thru diet or other natural means.

That is the reason so many diseases are becoming resistant, too many antibiotics given when not needed or too early.

All medications have side effects. When a doctor prescribes a medication, he expects his patient to return and report whether the drug has caused side effects and the physician will determine the effectiveness by taking blood tests. Many patients do not understand that prescribing medication is a trial and error process and the physician needs feedback from the patient.

Having high total cholesterol (low HDL and high LDL) over time will cause cholesterol build-up in the arteries (atherosclerosis) and cause blockage which may lead to heart attack and stroke.
Heart attack and stroke are the leading cause of death in the U.S.

It is not the intention of the physician to blame a patient but rather to help to prolong the patient's productive life. Some physicians seem critical but it is due to their concern for the well-being of their patient. Aggressive modification in diet and exercise will usually make the problem better. Physicians find that many patients do not comply with strict diets and exercise routines. Furthermore, that patients who smoke usually find it very difficult to quit. Furthermore the rigid schedule necessary to maintain sleep hygiene by sleeping and awakening at the same time each day to set the "biologic clock" - superchiasmatic nucleus, is not appealing to many patients. Perhaps the patients do not realize that scheduled sleep including weekends and holidays causes the body's immune system functions optimally. Physicians prescribe medication because lifestyle modification is very difficult for the patient to maintain.

Physicians make more money on procedures performed on patients not from reviewing and prescribing medications.
Source(s):
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/cholesterol.html
http://www.webmd.com/diseases_and_conditions/cholesterol.htm
http://www.northeastcardiology.yourmd.com/ypol/user/userMain.asp?siteid=1738535&content=userViewContentInFramework&bcx=My%20Doctor%5ETAB~Web%20Site%5EMNU~Northeast%20Cardiology,%20P.C.%5EPST%5E1738535~Home%20Page%5ECAT%5E1~Article%5EMAP%5EZZZ2ONRXHMC&cid=ZZZ2ONRXHMC&secure=2&rndm=0.6295674

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Why do doctors hand out statins like they are candy to people who don't even have very high cholesterol levels

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