A study from Consumer Reports concluded that prescribing cholesterol-lowering drugs to children may not be worth the risk to their health.
The authors noted that no long-term studies can prove that the pediatric use of statin drugs reduces risk of heart disease in adulthood. No one knows the long-term effects of these drugs on a child's developing central nervous system, immune system, organs, and hormones. The authors concluded, however, that the decision to use statins must be based on each individual case, and is in the hands of the child's physician and parents.
"Contrary to what many consumers believe, we don't have solid medical evidence supporting the use of statins in children, and there is no long-term safety data tracking kids who take statins for ten or 20 years," said Dr. John Santa, director of the Consumer Reports Health Ratings Center.
Labels: cholesterol, childhood_health, medications
Posted By: Aspen Education Group
