The new European guidelines for prevention of cardiovascular disease are misleading. Issue 12 (1st December 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ravnskov, Uffe; Alabdulgader, Abdullah; de Lorgeril, Michel; Diamond, David M.; Hama, Rokuro; Hamazaki, Tomohito; Hammarskjöld, Björn; Harcombe, Zoe; Kendrick, Malcolm; Langsjoen, Peter; McCully, Kilmer S.; Okuyama, Harumi; Sultan, Sherif; Sundberg, Ralf
• Is Part Of: Expert review of clinical pharmacology. Volume 13:Issue 12(2020)
• Page Start: 1289
• Page End: 1294
• Publication Date: 2020-12-01
• Subjects: Cholesterol -- cardiovascular -- guidelines -- statin -- diabetes; Clinical pharmacology -- Periodicals; 615.105
• DOI: 10.1080/17512433.2020.1841635
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1751-2433

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Introduction : The European Society of Cardiology and European Atherosclerosis Society (ESC/EAS) have recently published three major revisions of their guidelines for the management of chronic heart disease, blood lipids, and diabetes. Areas covered : We have scrutinized these guidelines in detail and found that the authors have ignored many studies that are in conflict with their conclusions and recommendations. Expert commentary : The authors of the guidelines have ignored that LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) of patients with acute myocardial infarction is lower than normal; that high cholesterol is not a risk factor for diabetics; that the degree of coronary artery calcification is not associated with LDL-C; and that 27 follow-up studies have shown that people with high total cholesterol or LDL-C live just as long or longer than people with low cholesterol. They have also ignored the lack of exposure-response in the statin trials; that several of these trials have been unable to lower CVD or total mortality; that no statin trial has succeeded with lowering mortality in women, elderly people, or diabetics; and that cholesterol-lowering with statins has been associated with many serious side effects.