Within the medical field, it is often assumed that patients view cholesterol-lowering medications (or statins) as a license to eat whatever they like -- they figure their medicine has them covered, so a steak here and there wont hurt. However, a study reported in the recent issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings finds that such patients dont tend to adopt unhealthy diets when prescribed statins.

Scientists also observed that some patients were placed on cholesterol-lowering drugs before theyd made a good faith effort at improving their lifestyle to better their health. And some said they would have preferred starting with lifestyle alterations rather than medication.

Devin Mann, M.D., lead author of the article on statin use, says physicians should reconsider how theyre treating patients who seek preventive care for cardiovascular disease, namely by giving up their long-held assumptions about them.

Physicians arent good at predicting patient behavior, so they should seek to form a partnership of trust with patients based on mutual respect and optimal communication, says.

Dr. Mann from Mount Sinai School of Medicine.

This study involved 71 patients who had been prescribed statins for the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease. Patients were interviewed at the time of prescription and three and six months later, when no significant change in saturated fat intake was noted.


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