|
|
Dumb Drugs- J.E. Block, MD, PhD, FACP There are many drugs that are known to cause memory problems such as some antidepressants, anticholinergics (bladder medicines) and now most recently, the darling of the pharmaceutical industry, cholesterol lowering drugs. The statins, which have been on the market since 1982, have been very effective, not only in lowering cholesterol, but in making big bucks for the drug companies. It is now an 18 billion dollar a year industry. Mevacor, Zocor, Pravachol, Lescol, Lipitor and Crestor are in the statin class. The most potent drug which causes memory loss is Lipitor. Cholesterol is a building block for many of our hormones, all our cell membranes and the vast majority of our brain. Fifty percent of the dry weight of the brain is cholesterol! In the process of lowering cholesterol, there is a decrease of a very essential vitamin, coenzymeQ10. This may be responsible for causing such problems as muscle problems, liver dysfunction, poor nerve function and decreasing memory. As far back as 1989, Merck had a patent on the combination of Mevacor and coenzyme Q10, which was never marketed. In those days it was not considered "scientific" for an ethical drug company to recommend vitamins. It would further implicate statins as a culprit for depletion of this important vitamin. Very few practicing doctors advise the supplementation of coenzyme Q10 with the statins. Some doctors feel the statins may prevent memory loss, in that they do decrease the incidence of cardiovascular dementia. Importantly, they need to know the statins do cause (by Q10 deficiency) memory loss, transient black-outs and not finding the right word to use during conversation. The Lipitor label lists amnesia occurring in less than 2% of patients. This and other statin labels warn doctors to look for high levels of muscle enzymes, muscle aches, liver and nerve dysfunction, but nothing about brain function. A RAND health consultant, Dr. Beatrice Golomb, who studied The Gulf War Syndrome for The Department of Defense is currently conducting the first large scale study of this phenomena. This research is funded by a 4.5 million dollar grant from The National Institutes of Health . So, what are a patient and their doctor to do? They are extremely helpful medically and hopefully, the cognitive function is reversible when the statins are discontinued. Certainly, Coenzyme Q10, 100-200 mg a day is recommended. The future will tell, but for the time being, I will not push the dose of Lipitor too high, think twice before I prescribe it, and liberally use Co-Q10. 26th September 2003 |
591-3891 |