E VANTAGGIOSO IL TRATTAMENTO CON FARMACI CHE DIMINUISCONO LA COLESTEROLEMIA ?

Recent meta-analyses give further support to the already existing evidence that the drug treatment of hypercholesterolemia does not reduce total mortality, and in fact could increase it, due to a higher number of non cardiovascular deaths. Although the dietary intervention trials suffer from some weaknesses in design, epidemiological data seem to support the notion that dietary lowering of cholesterol is safe, whereas lowering of cholesterol with drugs might not be. With the clear understanding that drugs are indicated for the patients at very high risk of coronary death (familiar hyperlipoproteinemia and symptomatic coronary heart disease), the author concludes that dietary intervention should still be the rule in a general practice setting.