Effect of Statins and ACE Inhibitors Alone and in Combination on Clinical Outcome in Patients with Coronary Heart Disease

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Effect of Statins and ACE Inhibitors Alone and in Combination on Clinical Outcome in Patients with Coronary Heart Disease Journal of Human Hypertension (2004) 18, 781–788 & 2004 Nature Publishing Group All rights reserved 0950-9240/04 $30.00 www.nature.com/jhh ORIGINAL ARTICLE Effect of statins and ACE inhibitors alone and in combination on clinical outcome in patients with coronary heart disease VG Athyros1, DP Mikhailidis3, AA Papageorgiou2, VI Bouloukos1, AN Pehlivanidis1, AN Symeonidis4 and M Elisaf5, for the GREACE Study Collaborative Group 1Atherosclerosis Unit, Aristotelian University, Hippocration Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece; 2Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Royal Free Hospital, Royal Free and University College Medical School, Pond Street, London, UK; 32nd Propedeutic Department of Internal Medicine, Aristotelian University, Hippocration Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece; 4Greek Society of General Practitioners, Thessaloniki, Greece; 5Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, University of Ioannina, Greece We assessed the ‘synergy’ of statins and angiotensin- point in group A was 31%, (95% CI À48 to À6%, P ¼ 0.01) converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI) in reducing vascu- in comparison to group B, 59% (95% CI À72 to À48%, lar events in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). Po0.0001) to group C and 63% (95% CI À74 to À51%, The GREek Atorvastatin and CHD Evaluation (GREACE) Po0.0001) to group D. There was no significant Study, suggested that aggressive reduction of low difference in RRR between groups C and D (9%, CI density lipoprotein cholesterol to 2.59 mmol/l À27–10%, P ¼ 0.1). Other factors (eg the blood pressure) (o100 mg/dl) significantly reduces morbidity and mor- that can influence clinical outcome did not differ tality in CHD patients, in comparison to undertreated significantly between the four treatment groups. In patients. In this post hoc analysis of GREACE the conclusion, the statin þ ACEI combination reduces patients (n ¼ 1600) were divided into four groups cardiovascular events more than a statin alone and according to long-term treatment: Group A (n ¼ 460 considerably more than an ACEI alone. Aggressive statin þ ACEI), B (n ¼ 420; statin, no ACEI), C (n ¼ 371;no statin use in the absence of an ACEI also substantially 371;no statin, on ACEI), and D (n ¼ 349; no statin, no reduced cardiovascular events. Treatment with an ACEI ACEI). Analysis of variance was used to assess in the absence of a statin use reduced clinical events in differences in the relative risk reduction (RRR) in ‘all comparison to patients not treated with an ACEI but not events’ (primary end point) between groups. During the significantly, at least in these small groups of patients. 3-year follow-up there were 292 cardiovascular events; Journal of Human Hypertension (2004) 18, 781–788. 45 (10% of patients) in group A, 61 (14.5%) in group B, 91 doi:10.1038/sj.jhh.1001748 in group C (24.5%) and 95 events in group D (27%). The Published online 1 July 2004 RRR (95% confidence interval (CI) in the primary end Keywords: ACE inhibitors; statins; and coronary heart disease Introduction theless, whether combination treatment with statins and ACEIs can increase clinical benefit in CHD It has been clearly demonstrated that cholesterol- patients more than each drug alone has not yet been lowering with statins reduces morbidity and mor- addressed by an end point trial. tality in patients with coronary heart disease 1–4 The GREek Atorvastatin and Coronary-heart-dis- (CHD). Recently, the EURopean trial On reduction ease Evaluation (GREACE) study6–9 was a prospec- of cardiac events with Perindopril in stable coronary tive, randomised, target based, open-label and Artery disease (EUROPA) showed that perindopril, intention-to-treat secondary CHD prevention trial. an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI), GREACE showed that the structured management of significantly improved outcome in patients with 5 dyslipidaemia with dose titration of atorvastatin can stable CHD without apparent heart failure. Never- achieve the National Cholesterol Educational Pro- gram (NCEP) low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) treatment goal (o2.6 mmol/l;100 mg/dl).10 Correspondence: Dr VG Athyros, Atherosclerosis Unit, This was associated with significant reductions in 15 Marmara St, Thessaloniki 551 32, Greece. E-mail: [email protected] morbidity and mortality, in comparison to usual care. Received 19 January 2004; revised 03 April 2004; accepted 14 In the present post hoc subgroup analysis of the April 2004; published online 1 July 2004 GREACE results, we report the long-term effect of Statins and ACE inhibitors VG Athyros et al 782 combined treatment with a statin plus an ACEI in Endpoint adjudication comparison to each drug alone or neither drug, There was an independent adjudication committee regardless of the initial assignment of patients in the blinded to treatment assignment. All end points structured or usual care groups. were hard end points and required hospitalisation. Total and cardiac mortality, myocardial infarction and stroke had to be diagnosed by a cardiology Study population—methods clinic to be considered as end points. Death Original study certificates, discharge summaries, ECG, CT Scan or MRI were used to validate an end point. Patients Study design and patients with an end point were considered only once; even Recruitment of patients started 6 years ago and was if they had several CHD events. completed within a 2-year period.6–9 Only patients with established CHD were included: history of Protocol prior myocardial infarction or 470% stenosis of at All patients with a LDL-C 42.6 mmol/l (100 mg/dl) least one coronary artery, as documented by a were enrolled into the study. In the atorvastatin coronary angiogram. Patients with recent acute group, the starting dose was 10 mg/day. If the NCEP coronary syndromes were not excluded. Inclusion LDL-C goal of o2.6 mmol/l was not reached within criteria were age o75 years, LDL-C 42.6 mmol/l 6 weeks, the dose of atorvastatin was increased to (100 mg/dl) and triglycerides (TG) o4.5 mmol/l 20 mg/day. With evaluations every 6 weeks the dose (400 mg/dl). Exclusion criteria were renal or liver of atorvastatin was titrated up to 80 mg/day for dysfunction, prior hypolipidaemic treatment, child- patients not reaching the LDL-C goal with lower bearing potential and any significant disease likely dosages. The patients on usual care received to limit life to less than the duration of the study, whatever drug treatment was prescribed by their such as malignancies and heart failure New York physician. Heart Association class III or IV. Patients that were The study was powered based on a comparison of scheduled for coronary revascularization were also the estimated proportion of patients that would excluded. All consecutive patients referred to our experience a cardiovascular event in the atorvastatin out-patient clinic were enrolled if eligible. Some of and usual care groups. Data from a large-scale them (12%) had an MI (1–3 years previously) and epidemiologic study involving an adult Greek some (8%) were included 7–10 days after admission population (unpublished) provided the estimate of unstable angina. Most of the patients were that Greek CHD patients under usual care have an recently diagnosed. If the patients diagnosed as all-cause event rate of 24% over a 3-year period. We having CHD more than 1 year before enrolment were considered that our findings would be significant if excluded, the mean time from diagnosis to enrol- treatment with atorvastatin to NCEP LDL-C goal ment was 26 days. All patients attended the produced a relative 30% reduction in all cause Hipocration Hospital. Equal numbers of patients events. Using this hypothesis, we performed the were then randomly allocated to atorvastatin treat- two-sample z-test for comparing two binomial ment based in our outpatient clinic or to usual care parameters. This suggested that 800 patients per outside the hospital. Randomisation of patients was group would provide a 90% power, with a type I carried out in cooperation with the Greek Society of error rate of 5%. No reduction in sample size due to General Practitioners, which also carried out the patients not completing the study for personal or follow-up of the usual care patients, while the medical reasons was calculated because this was an University Clinic was responsible for the atorvasta- intention-to-treat study. tin-treated patients. Cardiologists or general practi- GREACE demonstrated significant reductions in tioners of the patients’ choice treated those on usual morbidity and mortality associated with structured care according to their own standards of secondary management of dyslipidaemia with dose titration of CHD prevention. There were no limitations in the atorvastatin (10–80 mg/day, mean dose 24 mg/day). treatment of usual care patients. This could include In the structured care arm, 98% of patients were on life style changes, such as hypolipidaemic diet, long-term treatment with atorvastatin and 95% weight loss, exercise plus all necessary drug treat- reached the NCEP LDL-C treatment target ment, including lipid-lowering agents. Atorvastatin o2.6 mmol/l; 100 mg/dl). In the usual care arm, was not excluded from the usual care group. One of only 12% of patients were on statins and 3% the objectives of the study was to estimate the reached the NCEP LDL-C treatment target. difference in lipid lowering treatment within two settings: a specialist unit with a strict protocol dictating to treat to the NCEP LDL-C target and usual Post-hoc analysis care outside the hospital. In this way, we tried to point out the benefit of reaching this specific In the present post hoc subgroup analysis, we treatment target in CHD patients. The study received assessed the effect of the combination of a statin ethical approval and informed consent was obtained plus an ACEI, in comparison to each drug alone or from all patients before enrolment.
Recommended publications
  • The Self-Inhibitory Nature of Metabolic Networks and Its Alleviation Through Compartmentalization
    ARTICLE Received 30 Oct 2016 | Accepted 23 May 2017 | Published 10 Jul 2017 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms16018 OPEN The self-inhibitory nature of metabolic networks and its alleviation through compartmentalization Mohammad Tauqeer Alam1,2, Viridiana Olin-Sandoval1,3, Anna Stincone1,w, Markus A. Keller1,4, Aleksej Zelezniak1,5,6, Ben F. Luisi1 & Markus Ralser1,5 Metabolites can inhibit the enzymes that generate them. To explore the general nature of metabolic self-inhibition, we surveyed enzymological data accrued from a century of experimentation and generated a genome-scale enzyme-inhibition network. Enzyme inhibition is often driven by essential metabolites, affects the majority of biochemical processes, and is executed by a structured network whose topological organization is reflecting chemical similarities that exist between metabolites. Most inhibitory interactions are competitive, emerge in the close neighbourhood of the inhibited enzymes, and result from structural similarities between substrate and inhibitors. Structural constraints also explain one-third of allosteric inhibitors, a finding rationalized by crystallographic analysis of allosterically inhibited L-lactate dehydrogenase. Our findings suggest that the primary cause of metabolic enzyme inhibition is not the evolution of regulatory metabolite–enzyme interactions, but a finite structural diversity prevalent within the metabolome. In eukaryotes, compartmentalization minimizes inevitable enzyme inhibition and alleviates constraints that self-inhibition places on metabolism. 1 Department of Biochemistry and Cambridge Systems Biology Centre, University of Cambridge, 80 Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1GA, UK. 2 Division of Biomedical Sciences, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Gibbet Hill Road, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK. 3 Department of Food Science and Technology, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Me´dicas y Nutricio´n Salvador Zubira´n, Vasco de Quiroga 15, Tlalpan, 14080 Mexico City, Mexico.
    [Show full text]
  • What Precautions Should We Use with Statins for Women of Childbearing
    CLINICAL INQUIRIES What precautions should we use with statins for women of childbearing age? Chaitany Patel, MD, Lisa Edgerton, PharmD New Hanover Regional Medical Center, Wilmington, North Carolina Donna Flake, MSLS, MSAS Coastal Area Health Education Center, Wilmington, NC EVIDENCE- BASED ANSWER Statins are contraindicated for women who are on its low tissue-penetration properties. pregnant or breastfeeding. Data evaluating statin Cholesterol-lowering with simvastatin 40 mg/d did use for women of childbearing age is limited; how- not disrupt menstrual cycles or effect luteal phase ever, they may be used cautiously with adequate duration (strength of recommendation: C). contraception. Pravastatin may be preferred based CLINICAL COMMENTARY Use statins only as a last resort Before reading this review, I had not been for women of childbearing age ® Dowdenaware Health of the serious Media effects of statin medications I try to follow the USPSTF recommendations and on the developing fetus. In conversations with not screen women aged <45 years without coro- my colleagues, I found that the adverse effects nary artery disease riskCopyright factors for Fhyperlipidemia.or personalof usestatins onlyduring pregnancy are not readily When a woman of any age needs treatment, my known. Such information needs to be more first-line therapy is lifestyle modification. Given the widely disseminated. risks of statin drugs to the developing fetus, Ariel Smits, MD women with childbearing potential should give Department of Family Medicine, Oregon Health & Science fully informed consent and be offered reliable University, Portland contraception before stating statin therapy. I Evidence summary anal, cardiac, tracheal, esophageal, renal, Hydroxymethyl glutaryl coenzyme A and limb deficiency (VACTERL associa- (HMG CoA) reductase inhibitors, com- tion), intrauterine growth retardation monly called statins, have been on the (IUGR), and demise in fetuses exposed market since the late 1980s.
    [Show full text]
  • Plant Protease Inhibitors: a Defense Strategy in Plants
    Biotechnology and Molecular Biology Review Vol. 2 (3), pp. 068-085, August 2007 Available online at http://www.academicjournals.org/BMBR ISSN 1538-2273 © 2007 Academic Journals Standard Review Plant protease inhibitors: a defense strategy in plants Huma Habib and Khalid Majid Fazili* Department of Biotechnology, The University of Kashmir, P/O Naseembagh, Hazratbal, Srinagar -190006, Jammu and Kashmir, India. Accepted 7 July, 2007 Proteases, though essentially indispensable to the maintenance and survival of their host organisms, can be potentially damaging when overexpressed or present in higher concentrations, and their activities need to be correctly regulated. An important means of regulation involves modulation of their activities through interaction with substances, mostly proteins, called protease inhibitors. Some insects and many of the phytopathogenic microorganisms secrete extracellular enzymes and, in particular, enzymes causing proteolytic digestion of proteins, which play important roles in pathogenesis. Plants, however, have also developed mechanisms to fight these pathogenic organisms. One important line of defense that plants have to fight these pathogens is through various inhibitors that act against these proteolytic enzymes. These inhibitors are thus active in endogenous as well as exogenous defense systems. Protease inhibitors active against different mechanistic classes of proteases have been classified into different families on the basis of significant sequence similarities and structural relationships. Specific protease inhibitors are currently being overexpressed in certain transgenic plants to protect them against invaders. The current knowledge about plant protease inhibitors, their structure and their role in plant defense is briefly reviewed. Key words: Proteases, enzymes, protease inhibitors, serpins, cystatins, pathogens, defense. Table of content 1.
    [Show full text]
  • Get the Facts: What You Need to Know About Statins
    Get the Facts: What You Need to Know About Statins We hear a lot about lowering our cholesterol by eating a low-fat diet and getting regular exercise. But for some people, making healthy changes isn’t enough. That’s when statins come in. Statins are medicines that reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke, two of the leading causes of death in the United States. These medicines keep the liver from making cholesterol and help it get rid of cholesterol in the blood. Statins may help if you have high cholesterol, heart disease or are at high risk for heart disease or stroke. Things that can put you at high risk include being a current or former smoker, stress, having diabetes and/or high blood pressure, having a family history of heart disease or stroke, or being overweight. This means you do not have to have high cholesterol to benefit from taking statins. What Are Some Examples of Statins? Below is a list of statins you may have heard of and where you can find them on the SCAN Health Plan® Formulary (Note: The SCAN Formulary and the Formulary tier are subject to change, especially from year to year.): Statin Formulary Status Brand Name Generic Name Lipitor® Atorvastatin Tier 1 Mevacor® Lovastatin Tier 1 Pravachol® Pravastatin Tier 1 Zocor® Simvastatin Tier 1 Crestor® Rosuvastatin Tier 2 Lescol® Fluvastatin Not available Livalo® Pitavastatin Not available Statins can also be combined with other cholesterol-lowering and blood pressure drugs into one pill but may have higher copays. If you have questions about these combination pills and their copays, please talk to your pharmacist.
    [Show full text]
  • FDA Requests Removal of Strongest Warning Against Using Cholesterol
    FDA requests removal of strongest warning against using cholesterol-lowering statins during pregnancy; still advises most pregnant patients should stop taking statins Breastfeeding not recommended in patients who require statins 7-20-2021 FDA Drug Safety Communication What safety information is FDA announcing? The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is requesting removal of its strongest warning against using cholesterol-lowering statin medicines in pregnant patients. Despite the change, most patients should stop statins once they learn they are pregnant. We have conducted a comprehensive review of all available data and are requesting that statin manufacturers make this change to the prescribing information as part of FDA’s ongoing effort to update the pregnancy and breastfeeding information for all prescription medicines. Patients should not breastfeed when taking a statin because the medicine may pass into breast milk and pose a risk to the baby. Many can stop statins temporarily until breastfeeding ends. However, patients requiring ongoing statin treatment should not breastfeed and instead use infant formula or other alternatives. What is FDA doing? We are requesting revisions to the information about use in pregnancy in the prescribing information of the entire class of statin medicines. These changes include removing the contraindication against using these medicines in all pregnant patients. A contraindication is FDA’s strongest warning and is only added when a medicine should not be used because the risk clearly outweighs any possible benefit. Because the benefits of statins may include prevention of serious or potentially fatal events in a small group of very high-risk pregnant patients, contraindicating these drugs in all pregnant women is not appropriate.
    [Show full text]
  • Kinase-Targeted Cancer Therapies: Progress, Challenges and Future Directions Khushwant S
    Bhullar et al. Molecular Cancer (2018) 17:48 https://doi.org/10.1186/s12943-018-0804-2 REVIEW Open Access Kinase-targeted cancer therapies: progress, challenges and future directions Khushwant S. Bhullar1, Naiara Orrego Lagarón2, Eileen M. McGowan3, Indu Parmar4, Amitabh Jha5, Basil P. Hubbard1 and H. P. Vasantha Rupasinghe6,7* Abstract The human genome encodes 538 protein kinases that transfer a γ-phosphate group from ATP to serine, threonine, or tyrosine residues. Many of these kinases are associated with human cancer initiation and progression. The recent development of small-molecule kinase inhibitors for the treatment of diverse types of cancer has proven successful in clinical therapy. Significantly, protein kinases are the second most targeted group of drug targets, after the G-protein- coupled receptors. Since the development of the first protein kinase inhibitor, in the early 1980s, 37 kinase inhibitors have received FDA approval for treatment of malignancies such as breast and lung cancer. Furthermore, about 150 kinase-targeted drugs are in clinical phase trials, and many kinase-specific inhibitors are in the preclinical stage of drug development. Nevertheless, many factors confound the clinical efficacy of these molecules. Specific tumor genetics, tumor microenvironment, drug resistance, and pharmacogenomics determine how useful a compound will be in the treatment of a given cancer. This review provides an overview of kinase-targeted drug discovery and development in relation to oncology and highlights the challenges and future potential for kinase-targeted cancer therapies. Keywords: Kinases, Kinase inhibition, Small-molecule drugs, Cancer, Oncology Background Recent advances in our understanding of the fundamen- Kinases are enzymes that transfer a phosphate group to a tal molecular mechanisms underlying cancer cell signaling protein while phosphatases remove a phosphate group have elucidated a crucial role for kinases in the carcino- from protein.
    [Show full text]
  • Identification of Novel Monoamine Oxidase B Inhibitors from Ligand Based Virtual Screening
    Identification of novel monoamine oxidase B inhibitors from ligand based virtual screening A thesis submitted to Kent State University in partial Fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science By Mohammed Alaasam August, 2014 Thesis written by Mohammed Alaasam B.S., University of Baghdad, 2007 M.S., Kent State University, 2014 Approved by Werner Geldenhuys , Chair, Master’s Thesis Committee Richard Carroll , Member, Master’s Thesis Committee Prabodh Sadana , Member, Master’s Thesis Committee Eric Mintz , Director, School of Biomedical Sciences James Blank , Dean, College of Arts and Sciences ii Table of Contents List of figure ...................................................................................................................... vi List of tables ..................................................................................................................... xiii Acknowledgments............................................................................................................ xiv Chapter one: Introduction ............................................................................................... 1 1.1.Parkinson's disease ....................................................................................................... 1 1.2.Monoamine oxidase enzymes ....................................................................................... 7 1.3.Structures of MAO enzymes ....................................................................................... 12 1.4.Three dimentiona
    [Show full text]
  • Analgesic Drug Use Associated with Statin Prescription – a Cross- Sectional Study in Primary Care Settings D
    16 Current Drug Safety, 2012, 7, 16-20 Analgesic Drug Use Associated with Statin Prescription – A Cross- Sectional Study in Primary Care Settings D. Moßhammer*,1, J. Schwarz1, S. Meznaric1, R. Muche2, G. Lorenz1 and K. Mörike3 1Division of General Practice, University Hospital Tübingen, Germany 2Institute of Biometrics, University of Ulm, Germany 3University Hospital Tübingen, Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Germany Abstract: Background: To investigate whether features of muscular complaints (MC) differ between receivers of a statin prescription and non-receivers. To analyze the relationship between analgesics prescription, statin prescription and/or musculoskeletal disorders. Methods: Cross-sectional study. Consecutive patients in offices of family practitioners were interviewed using a standardized questionnaire. Target variables: Rates of features of MC in patients with or without a statin prescription and rates of analgesic drug prescription in patients with or without statin prescription and/or musculoskeletal disorders. Odds ratios (adjusted for age, sex, and socio-economic status) were calculated using logistic regression analysis. Results: 1135 patients in 26 general practitioners’ offices were asked to participate, and 1031 patients agreed. Features of MC did not differ between the two groups of patients. Analgesic prescription was found to be associated with statin prescription in patients without musculoskeletal disorders (OR 2.2, CI 1.1-4.7 without statin, OR 2.5, CI 0.9-6.9 with statin) and particularly in those with musculoskeletal disorders (OR 5.2, CI 2.9-9.3 without statin, OR 9.3, CI 4.5-19.1 with statin). Conclusions: Analgesic prescriptions are probably positively associated with statin prescription.
    [Show full text]
  • Effects of Statins on Renin–Angiotensin System
    Journal of Cardiovascular Development and Disease Review Effects of Statins on Renin–Angiotensin System Nasim Kiaie 1,†, Armita Mahdavi Gorabi 1,†, Željko Reiner 2, Tannaz Jamialahmadi 3,4, Massimiliano Ruscica 5 and Amirhossein Sahebkar 6,7,8,9,* 1 Research Center for Advanced Technologies in Cardiovascular Medicine, Tehran Heart Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 1411713138, Iran; [email protected] (N.K.); [email protected] (A.M.G.) 2 Department of Internal Diseases, School of Medicine, University Hospital Center Zagreb, Zagreb University, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia; [email protected] 3 Quchan Branch, Department of Food Science and Technology, Islamic Azad University, Quchan 9479176135, Iran; [email protected] 4 Department of Nutrition, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad 9177948564, Iran 5 Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy; [email protected] 6 Biotechnology Research Center, Pharmaceutical Technology Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad 9177948564, Iran 7 Applied Biomedical Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad 9177948564, Iran 8 School of Medicine, The University of Western Australia, Perth 6009, Australia 9 School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad 9177948564, Iran * Correspondence: [email protected] or [email protected] † Equally contributed. Abstract: Statins, a class of drugs for lowering serum LDL-cholesterol, have attracted attention because of their wide range of pleiotropic effects. An important but often neglected effect of statins is their role in the renin–angiotensin system (RAS) pathway. This pathway plays an integral role in the progression of several diseases including hypertension, heart failure, and renal disease.
    [Show full text]
  • Behavioral and Pharmacoepidemiological Risk Factors and Mediators for Type Ii Diabetes Mellitus
    BEHAVIORAL AND PHARMACOEPIDEMIOLOGICAL RISK FACTORS AND MEDIATORS FOR TYPE II DIABETES MELLITUS DISSERTATION Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Victoria A. Zigmont, BS, MPH Graduate Program in Public Health The Ohio State University 2015 Dissertation Committee: Susan Olivo-Marston, PhD, MPH, Advisor Stephen Clinton, MD, PhD Randall Harris, MD, PhD Gail Kaye, PhD, RD, LD, PLCC Abigail Shoben, PhD Copyright by Victoria A. Zigmont 2015 ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a serious and relevant public health problem. Lifestyle programs like the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) can delay a patient’s progression to T2DM. Identifying which patients are likely to enroll in these programs and tailoring recruitment approaches to those with perceived barriers is one way to increase engagement in health promotion. Previous literature on antidepressant use and T2DM has raised concerns that antidepressant use is associated with T2DM, however these studies have been variable in quality. Similarly, while statins are one of the most widely prescribed medications in the United States; concern has been raised that they are associated with incident T2DM. The effect of statin use on glycemic control in nondiabetic patients is currently unclear. METHODS: Three retrospective cohort studies were conducted among individuals in the Midwest enrolled in an insurance plan from 2011 through 2014. These studies combined data from medical and pharmacy claims, annual biometric screenings and a health survey. The goal of the first study was to identify differences between prediabetic patients who did and did not volunteer to enroll in a worksite DPP.
    [Show full text]
  • Clearing up Myths About Statins Medication
    Clearing up Myths about Statin Medicine I’ve never been told I have high cholesterol, why do I need a statin? Sometimes people who have a blocked artery or have a health event like a stroke or heart attack may be started on a statin. This is because your risk is now higher to have another stroke or heart attack, even though your cholesterol may be normal. The goal is to lower your risk. Does changing my diet work as well as taking a statin? A heart healthy diet is very important and a great way to prevent a heart attack and stroke. However, statins will lower your risk and your cholesterol more than just changing your diet. As well, statins affect your body in other ways. Statins protect the plaque in your blood vessels from breaking open and causing a heart attack or stroke. What kind of side effects do statins have? Most side effects are mild (such as stomach upset) and go away over time. Less than 10 out of every 100 people who take a statin have side effects. Is it true that statins cause serious muscle problems? A rare side effect of statins is aching muscles. It usually affects large muscles (such as the arms or legs) on both sides of the body. Less than 10 out of every 100 people who take a statin have this side effect. It can usually be managed by lowering the dose or changing to another brand of statin. It doesn’t cause any long-term muscle damage. Rarely, muscle pain may be a sign of a serious muscle problem (about 1 out of every 10,000 people).
    [Show full text]
  • ATC) Classification and the Defined Daily Dose (DDD
    Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) classification T and the Defined Daily Dose AF DR (DDD): principles for classifying and quantifying drug use Yong Chen Merck, Whitehouse Station, NJ USA Disclosure • Author is an employee of Merck • A lot of slides are adopted from a prior ICPE English short course on drug utilization by Hege Salvesen Blix 2 Outline • The ATC/DDD methodology – definitions, purpose, structure and principles • Real world applications of ATC/DDD 3 What is ATC/DDD? • ATC (Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical) classification –Don’t confuse it with Anatomical Therapeutic (AT) classification developed by European Pharmaceutical Market Research Association (EPhMRA) • DDD (Defined Daily Dose) The assumed average maintenance dose per day for a drug used for its main indication in adults Introduction to Drug Utilization Research, WHO 2003 4 Main Purpose • “International language for drug utilization research” –to serve as a tool for presenting drug utilization research in order to improve quality of drug use –to compare data within a country and between countries 5 The WHO Collaborating Centre for Drug Statistics Methodology • Established in 1982 as a European WHO Centre • Since 1996 a global WHO Centre • Located in the Department of Pharmacoepidemiology at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health • The staff of the Centre is responsible for drug consumption statistics in Norway 6 The WHO Centre • To classify drugs according to the ATC system and assign DDDs • To review and revise as necessary the ATC classification system and DDDs • To stimulate and influence the practical use of the ATC system • To organize training courses in the ATC/DDD methodology 7 ATC Main Group • A Alimentary tract and metabolism • B Blood and blood forming organs • C Cardiovascular system • D Dermatologicals • G Genito urinary system and sex hormones • H Systemic hormonal preparations, excl.
    [Show full text]