The Great Debate: Rita Redberg, MD

CardioSource WorldNews Fellows columnist Payal Kohli, MD, interviews Rita Redberg, MD, of the University of California San Francisco, about the use of statins for primary prevention of heart disease.

[Marcfj]

Dr. Redberg is a voice of sanity. I just hope the drug companies don't try something sneaky that will harm her.

[philipevans]

Thank you, Dr. Redberg. I was embarrassed for the interviewer. She had no idea what to ask or even understand your answers. I am pleased to hear about the study you cite and your precise, logical presentation.

[Statinstories]

From trekking for a couple of weeks a year before in the Himalayan foothills, for my second trip to India/Nepal I decided to train and go further--perhaps Everest Base Camp or the Mustang Region. I was 70 years old, felt fine, tai chi for years (could jump, kick over my head in the air, land softly in the same spot), My primary care doctor had pushed a statin on me for a number of years, and when I sought a cardiologist for a second opinion, he pushed harder yet. I questioned my need for lowering my LDL (245 or so) with a statin--even pointing out that my lipid ratios were great, and that these two risk predictors contradicted each other. My TG/HDL was 61/88. I was strongly fear-mongered into the statin...and that was with 7 months the end of my fortunate life. Is there anything I can do now, 12 years later, to improve my health? (Dr. Redford, you are one of my health care heroes, and like many others, I'm grateful to you and all physicians bringing science-based care to patients.)

[lilyredberg]

My last name is Redberg... are we related????