By prescribing a statin drug for her 49 year old husband, the doctor truly believed she was helping him control his cholesterol and avert a future heart attack.
He had a family history of heart problems, and even though he was in good health, it would be best to take no chances.
So this healthy, 49 year old male had become dependent, for the rest of his life, on a drug that would do him no good, and possibly harm him during the passing of time.
The honest belief that statin drugs are a universal preventive measure against heart disease is a severe misconception shared almost universally by the mainstream medical community.
Too busy to keep up with the dizzying pace of change in the profession, practicing physicians rely heavily on their pharmaceutical suppliers to provide the data they need to make informed decisions about the treatments they offer.
And the pharmaceuticals are more than eager to lend a helping hand, spending enormous amounts of money to supply these professionals with the information they need and want.
Only the information is almost invariably, twisted.
In the manufacturer's favor, of course.
GOOD DRUGS, BADLY MARKETED A pattern of abuse in drug marketing is being reflected over and over with depressing regularity.
Almost daily, we're all being bombarded with media advertisements assuring us that we're all destined for a fatal heart attack unless we take their "cholesterol lowering" statin drugs.
So let's take a look at the facts about statins A study conducted by Dr James M Wright, a professor at the University of British Columbia, found that statin drugs can in fact be life saving for men who had already suffered a heart attack.
But that same study pointed to the fact that statins provided no benefit to healthy men, no matter what their cholesterol levels! This study also found that statins provided no benefit to women, regardless of health or age.
The pharmaceuticals of course dispute this vigorously, arguing that the longer a person takes the drugs, the greater the likelihood it will avert a serious "cardiac event.
" But Dr John Abramson, clinical instructor at Harvard Medical School, disputes this, finding little evidence taking statins for longer periods increases the chance of benefit, but there is plenty of evidence that if there were in fact a reduced cardiovascular risk, it would be quickly replaced with equally serious illnesses.
Among these illnesses, but not limited to them, are muscle pain, cognitive impairment, and sexual dysfunction showing up in long term statin users.
SO WHAT IS THE ALTERNATIVE? How about a lifestyle change.
Not as easy as taking a drug, but it's just about guaranteed to help you live longer.
Switching to a Mediterranean diet is one option.
Or eating more fish.
Bolster that with a group of appropriate and first rate natural supplements and no one should ever need statin drugs.