RedScrubs
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Boston researchers reported early Sunday morning that they have developed a strategy that dramatically reduces the risk of heart attacks, strokes and even death among older adults who don’t have the traditional warning signs of clogged arteries. The results of the Astra Zeneca’s anticipated Jupiter study – which measures levels of a protein called CRP that can indicate arteries are inflamed and point towards heart disease – were just recently released at the American Heart Association meeting. The cholesterol pill reduced the risk of cardiovascular death and heart attacks by 44 percent compared with patients on a placebo. The study had a whopping 17,802 participants – men over age 50 and women over 60- both ripe ages for heart attacks, but who were healthy. They did not display signs of heart disease and had cholesterol levels not requiring meds under current guidelines. Other findings – the combined risk of heart attack, stroke or cardiovascular death was reduced by 47 percent, the risk of heart attack was cut by 54 percent, the risk of stroke was cut by 48 percent and total mortality was reduced by 20 percent. The study is available in The New England Journal of Medicine and may raise more questions on the utility and reliability of the CRP test.