Duane Graveline MD MPH
Former NASA Astronaut, Former USAF Flight Surgeon
and Retired Family Doctor

Links to all of the Cholesterol articles on the site.
Cholesterol Articles

Links to all of the articles on statin drugs side effects grouped by side effect type.
Statin Drugs Side Effects Articles

Listing of all statin drugs articles sorted by drug name.
Statin Drugs Articles
 

My first book, Lipitor, Thief of Memory, was written after my two bouts of transient global amnesia (TGA) associated with the use of Lipitor in the years 1999 - 2000. Predictably at that time, I was focused on cognitive dysfunction and Lipitor.

I soon realized the adverse reactions involved far more than impaired cognition, including personality change, myopathy, neuropathy and a chronic neuromuscular degeneration similar to ALS and all statins were contributing to these adverse reactions, not just Lipitor.

It was in this climate that I wrote my second book, Statin Drugs Side Effects. This is when I learned what reductase inhibition really meant. The reductase step blocked by statins was at the very beginning of the mevalonate pathway.

This pathway to cholesterol synthesis is also shared by many extremely important biochemical substances, including coenzyme Q10, inhibition of which was the cause of many of these side effects.

One cannot reduce cholesterol by the use of statins without simultaneously blocking these other biochemicals sharing the mevalonate pathway. Then I learned that CoQ10 inhibition was contributing to increased mitochondrial damage and premature senility - the dark side of statins. My book, the Statin Damage Crisis was written to help people understand this.

Duane Graveline, MD, MPH
 

Study after study has shown the benefit of statin drugs in reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke. Almost buried in this barrage of positive results, however, is the growing research evidence that this reduction of cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality from statin use has occurred independently of cholesterol lowering effect.

Adding to cholesterol's innocence is its vital role in our bodies - mediator of synaptic transmissions, precursor of vital hormones and the most abundant biochemical in our brains.

From the titles of the articles and books I have written, I can understand the concern that I may be anti-statin. Nothing could be further from the truth. Statins' anti-inflammatory action is the most effective treatment there is for atherosclerosis and lowering of cardiovascular risk in high risk individuals.

I am increasingly though a proponent of low, anti-inflammatory dosing of statins not the current cholesterol lowering dosing now that cholesterol no longer appears to be the villain.

However, it must be noted that my personal side effects from statins came from doses that would today be considered low.
 
Duane Graveline MD MPH
 

From US Air Force Flight Surgeon to NASA flight controller for the Mercury and Gemini program and on to selection as one of NASA's six Scientist Astronauts in 1965.

23 years as a Physician in Family Practice followed and then M.D. locum tenens in Virginia until retirement from medical practice in 1994 at the age of 63.

Returned to NASA from 2003 to 2005 as a consultant specializing in the effects of cosmic radiation.

Now retired and studying and writing on the effects of statin drugs.

Duane Graveline MD MPH Biography

 

Dr. Kilmer McCully has contributed a series of articles. The first is on Cholesterol:
Cholesterol - Part 1
Cholesterol - Part 2

The second is on Homocysteine.
Homocysteine - Part 1
Homocysteine - Part 2

The third is on Vulnerable Plaque.
Vulnerable Plaque - Part 1
Vulnerable Plaque - Part 2

Dr. Kilmer McCully spent 40 years, the major part of his professional career, pursuing the connection between homocysteine, cancer, arteriosclerosis, and diseases of aging.
 

Dr. Malcolm Kendrick has written three articles.

The first is:
"The Great Cholesterol Con"

The second is:
Dr. Kendrick looks at Cholesterol.

The third is in two parts:
Does Treating High Blood Pressure Do Any Good? Part 1 of 2
Does Treating High Blood Pressure Do Any Good? Part 2 of 2

Dr. Malcolm Kendrick has worked in family practice for almost twenty years.
 

Dr. Uffe Ravnskov has contributed a three part article titled:
"Saturated Fat is Good for You"

Saturated Fat is Good for You - Part 1 of 3
Saturated Fat is Good for You - Part 2 of 3
Saturated Fat is Good for You - Part 3 of 3

Dr. Uffe Ravnskov MD is the author of "The Cholesterol Myths" and "Fat and Cholesterol are Good for You"
and creator and spokesman of THINCS, "The International Network of Cholesterol Skeptics"

Three statins are currently available in generic form in the U.S.:

1) Lovastatin ( Mevacor, Altocor, Altoprev ) Lovastatin has been available as a generic statin drug since 2001.
2) Pravastatin ( Pravachol, Lipostat, Selektine ) Pravastatin has been available as a generic drug since 2006.
3) Simvastatin ( Zocor, Lipex, Simcard, Simlup ) Simvastatin has been available as a generic since 2006. 
 
In my opinion any doctor can practice effective medicine with currently available generic statins. Pravastatin can be considered to be somewhat weaker than lovastatin and lovastatin is somewhat weaker than simvastatin, so a doctor has the full range of effectiveness.

Generic Statin Drugs
 
Duane Graveline MD MPH