Canada’s Most Commonly Prescribed Drug

Collingwood Senior Home Care  |  October 12, 2018

Statin is Canada’s Most Commonly Prescribed Drug

Whether you realize it or not, Canada’s most commonly prescribed drug is Statin and you probably know someone who takes it every day, before bed.

According to a 2016 report from the Canadian Institute for Health Information, statins were the most commonly prescribed drug class, used by nearly half of all Canadian seniors to prevent heart attack and stroke.

How – and Why – Statins Work

Despite its widespread use, this class of drug is often very misunderstood. It’s taken daily, sort of like an aspirin – but that’s where the similarities end. Unlike aspirin, which thins the blood to prevent clots, statins function by reducing the liver’s production of LDL (or “bad”) cholesterol by blocking an enzyme that the liver uses to create cholesterol.

So why is this significant? To answer that, we need to take a closer look at the role cholesterol plays in cardiovascular disease.

When your body has too much cholesterol in the bloodstream, it builds up in the walls of your arteries causing a range of heart disease. Statins are a successful medication because they don’t just lower cholesterol levels, but also reduce the risk of fatty plaques breaking off from walls of your arteries leading to a heart attack or stroke.

It’s worth mentioning that this “anti-plaque” effect goes away if you stop taking your statins, and most people will be on one form of statin or another for life once having been prescribed the drug.

Other statin benefits

Though not commonly prescribed specifically as a cancer intervention, scientists believe statins may also play a role in the prevention and treatment of various cancers, and have been shown to decrease tumour growth.

Various studies have shown that statins played a role in lower risk of dying from various cancers, for example:

• 22% lower risk of lung cancer mortality
• 43% lower risk of breast cancer mortality
• 47% lower risk of prostate cancer mortality
• 30% lower risk of colon cancer mortality

Statins may also play a role in preventing Alzheimer’s disease, which is often linked to high cholesterol in late life, however, this seems to hold true for only certain segments of the population. Regretfully, statins do not seem to have any effect on treating Alzheimer’s.Side effects

Statins are generally well tolerated, but some users will experience unpleasant side effects from their daily use of the drug.

Patients have reported that they have suffered from memory loss, or other cognitive impairment when taking statins. This may be due to the fact that 25% of the cholesterol in your body is found in your brain, which is essential for the normal functioning of the brain. It is theoretically possible that excessive inhibition of cholesterol production could result in neurological effects.

Another common side effect reported by users of statins includes muscle soreness, also called myopathy. As many as one out of five people taking statins will experience chronic aches and soreness in their muscles, and this is often a result of drug interactions with other medications for conditions like diabetes or hypertension.

Remember, pain management options or cognitive concerns can be addressed with your doctor, but you should never stop taking your statins even if you are experiencing unpleasant side effects.

There are many different kinds of statins on the market, a dizzying list of brands. If statins will benefit your long-term health and care, your doctor will know which is right for you.

Comfort Keepers® Georgian Triangle Can Help with Questions about Canada’s Most Commonly Prescribed Drug

If you are concerned about the health and wellbeing of your aging loved ones we can help. Comfort Keepers®’ trained homecare caregivers help provide senior clients with the highest quality of life possible to keep them happy and healthy at home. Our Interactive Caregiving™ provides a system of care that addresses safety, nutrition, mind, body, and activities of daily living (ADLs).

What’s more, our trained caregivers are selected with one specific quality in mind: empathy. Care that is empathetic is care that starts in the heart, and it allows us to meet our client’s exact needs. Learn more about our unique service offering by contacting the Comfort Keepers Georgian Triangle office.

If you live in the Collingwood, Midland, Owen Sound area, contact Comfort Keepers at (705) 293-5553, or email us at georgiantriangle@comfortkeepers.ca.

Comfort Keepers Georgian Triangle is here to help you and your loved ones get the best care possible.

Comfort Keepers Georgian Triangle has received the Primer Award with Accreditation Canada; Working with health, social, and community service organizations to advance quality and safety.

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