Cholesterol lowering pills should be served with junk food, doctors say

How's this as an appetite spoiler: Scientists are proposing that fast food outlets should provide free statin drugs to customers to neutralize the health risks posed by fatty foods.

Statins are a class of drugs used to lower the amount of unhealthy LDL cholesterol in the blood.

A research team, led by Dr Darrel Francis from the National Heart and Lung Institute at Imperial College, London, found that the reduction in cardiovascular risk offered by a statin is enough to offset the increase in heart attack risk from eating a cheeseburger and a milkshake.

"Statins don't cut out all of the unhealthy effects of burgers and fries. It's better to avoid fatty food altogether. But we've worked out that in terms of your likelihood of having a heart attack, taking a statin can reduce your risk to more or less the same degree as a fast food meal increases it," Dr Francis said.

Studies have shown a clear link between total fat intake and blood cholesterol, which in turn is linked to heart disease. Fast foods are high in trans-fats, which are a risk factor for heart disease, according to recent evidence.

"When people engage in risky behaviours like driving or smoking, they're encouraged to take measures that minimise their risk, like wearing a seatbelt or choosing cigarettes with filters. Taking a statin is a rational way of lowering some of the risks of eating a fatty meal," the scientists said.

The study argues that it might make sense to make statins - which cost less than 5p per customer - freely available, much like ketchup.

Statins have an excellent safety record, with very few users experiencing significant side effects. Low dose statins are available without a prescription in UK pharmacies, costing as little as £1.50 per month.

However, the study does make it clear that statins are no substitute for a healthy diet.

Commenting on the study, Professor Peter Weissberg, Medical Director at the British Heart Foundation, said:

“The suggestion that the harmful effects of a junk food meal might be erased by taking a cholesterol-lowering statin tablet should not be taken literally.

“A junk food diet has a wealth of unhealthy consequences beyond raising cholesterol. It can cause high blood pressure through too much salt, or obesity through eating meals loaded with calories. These are all risk factors for life-threatening health problems such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes and stroke.

“Statins are a vital medicine for people with – or at high risk of developing – heart disease. They are not a magic bullet,” Dr Weissberg concluded.

The paper is published in the American Journal of Cardiology.

This article was published on Fri 13 August 2010