Cholesterol Screening Is Urged for Young

[flashl]

The nation’s pediatricians are recommending wider cholesterol screening for children and more aggressive use of cholesterol-lowering drugs starting as early as the age of 8 in hopes of preventing adult heart problems.

The new guidelines were to be issued by the American Academy of Pediatrics on Monday.

The push to aggressively screen and medicate for high cholesterol in children is certain to create controversy amid a continuing debate about the use of prescription drugs in children as well as the best approaches to ward off heart disease in adults.

But proponents say there is growing evidence that the first signs of heart disease show up in childhood, and with 30 percent of the nation’s children overweight or obese, many doctors fear that a rash of early heart attacks and diabetes is on the horizon as these children grow up.

NY Times

[sui generis]

1. LET ME GUESS

so ask yourself this question everytime you hear a bit of surprising news:

Who Stands To Profit From This?

Could it be. . . . . . . . big pharma???

Dare we accuse? Of frakking course it's big pharma and some newly minted MBA now targetting little butterball fat brats.

First the big labs get all your kids to randomly piss in cups, get randomly tested for steroids, and wear GPS units, and now they want to re-characterize the cholesterol scale for children to justify putting your kids on medicine.

What the fuck people. No doubt they have a lobby swinging for making pre-adult cholesterol testing and treatment required under public education statutes.

Just say no.

[CoffeeCat]

2. This is disgusting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Why is the "American Academy of Pediatrics" going along with this drug pedaling that
enriches 'big pharma?'

Come on!!!

Little kids, if they are overweight, should be outside riding their bike, playing kickball and
running around the neighborhood. They should also eat fruits and vegetables and healthy meals.

The problem is that too many kids are inside playing video games and watching television and
eating crap.

Kids do not need drugs to reduce cholesterol!!!! They need to exercise and eat healthy!

What in the world is our society coming to?????????

And now the doctors are in on this...urging parents to put their children on these drugs?

SICKENING! JUST SICKENING!!

[Truth4Justice]

3. You are so correct. My mother didnt let us eat junk food or soft drinks......

as for statin anti-colesterol meds are often expensive and ineffective. Dr Graveline, a NASA doctor has a website outlining the dangers of statins. the side effect are frightening.

[Horse with no Name]

4. Information is always good

Screen them. If they have a preponderance for high cholesterol...the best time to intervene with diet and exercise is when they are young rather than wait until these kids are adults with pre-existing conditions.
My advice on starting kids on these statin drugs? Exactly what I told my doctor.
No fucking way. I'll change my habits. Those kinds of drugs can KILL you faster than high cholesterol.

[DemExpat]

5. The insanity marches on.

DemEx