Study Finds that Vytorin Might Cause Cancer

By Raoul Railey
19:59, August 24th 2008
30 votes
Vote this story
Study Finds that Vytorin Might Cause Cancer

The Simvastatin and Ezetimibe in Aortic Stenosis (SEAS) trial found out that the drug Vytorin, used to lower the levels of bad cholesterol, might increase the risk of developing cancer. However, the FDA said that doctors should continue to prescribe the drug, but should be careful and identify the eventual side effects that might appear and report them to the federal agency.

The trial discovered that patients who had been administered Vytorin did not present a lower risk of developing cardiovascular diseases compared to the ones who had been administered a placebo. On the other hand, the persons who took the drug were twice more likely to develop cancer than the other ones.

The thing that might have determined the FDA not to ban the product is that the number of people who took the drug and developed cancer represented a little over 4 percent of the persons included in the trial, while the other ones accounted for about 2 percent. Both figures being pretty insignificant, the risk was probably considered not to be big enough to necessitate any special measures to be taken. What is more, preliminary results from other studies did not reveal this danger.

Vytorin is a combination of two other drugs, Zocor, a statin drug developed by Merck & Co., and Zetia, from Schering-Plough Pharmaceuticals. It efficiently reduces the level of bad cholesterol, also known as LDL, by blocking an enzyme that makes the liver to produce it, at the same time blocking its absorption in the intestine.



© 2007 - 2008 - eFluxMedia
Tags: SEAS, FDA, Vytorin
dotclear

Other News in

Texans Face Growing Health Risks

Because of the continuously failing health care system in the United States, health risks are beginning to grow all throughout the country. Recently, worrying statistics have surfaced in the South,...

HIV/AIDS Panic Among Nigerian Workers

Already a high-risk area for contracting HIV and developing AIDS, Nigeria is now facing another HIV/AIDS epidemic. On Tuesday, Nigerian workers were in a general state of sheer panic, caused by a...

Brand-Name Drug Extravaganza Is Hurting The Health Care System

Brand-Name Drug Extravaganza Is Hurting The Health Care System

There is a psychological and social conviction that brands, in any type of domain, are superior quality-wise. Although shallow, this is most true when speaking about clothes, perfumes, make-up and...

Residents To Get More Sleeping Hours

Residents To Get More Sleeping Hours

A national report has shown that the lack of sleep between shifts can disturb a doctor's work and, therefore, it can affect his performance with patients. The study recommends broad changes by...

Six Teens Face Charges in Nursing Home Abuse

Six teen caregivers of the Good Samaritan Society of Albert Lea are facing criminal charges for abusing patients. Two of them were charged with physical, sexual and emotional abuse of 15...

dotclear
Latest videos in Health
Drugmakers' recession...
Zimbabwe cholera death toll...
Doctor designs artificial...
Face to face best for baby...
Landmark windpipe transplant

dotclear
Health You are here: Health
» Science   » Health   
E-mail To A Friend Print RSS Text size: Decrease font size Increase font size
dotclear
dotclear
dotclear
Most Popular in Health
China’s HIV/AIDS Epidemic Continues To Be A ProblemChina’s HIV/AIDS Epidemic Continues To Be A Problem

» read full story
dotclear

Interested In This Topic?

News Alert will keep you informed. Find out more.
dotclear
Photos Gallery
dotclear
Today's Latest News
R&B Singers Sued By PhotographerR&B Singers Sued By Photographer

» read full story
dotclear