Statins, a class of drugs used to lower cholesterol levels in the blood, have been at the center of much debate in recent years. With cardiovascular disease being the leading cause of death in the United States, the question of whether statins should be made available for free to the general public is a pressing one.
As a society, we have a duty to address the disparities in access to healthcare that exist among different populations. Black patients, for example, have a higher risk for cardiovascular disease, particularly stroke, due to higher rates of hypertension and diabetes. It is clear that social factors play a significant role in these disparities, and it is our responsibility to address them.
One of the main arguments for making statins free is the issue of undertreatment. Studies have shown that a minority of people who could benefit from statins are actually taking them. This is a troubling statistic, considering the proven benefits of statins in preventing heart disease. If we want to truly address the issue of cardiovascular disease in this country, we must ensure that those who could benefit from statins have access to them.
It is important to note that statins, along with other preventive care measures, are incredibly cheap. In fact, some argue that they should be made free due to their outsized benefits for prevention. With cardiovascular disease being the leading cause of death in the country, it only makes sense to make these life-saving medications more accessible to those who need them.
Some may argue that making statins free would be too costly for the healthcare system. However, the reality is that the cost of treating cardiovascular disease far outweighs the cost of preventing it. By making statins available for free, we could potentially save billions of dollars in healthcare costs down the road.
If you are taking a statin drug to prevent heart disease, it’s possible that, sometime in the next year or two, your doctor might tell you that it’s no longer necessary.
If and when that change happens, it will reflect the use of a new risk calculator the American Heart Association released last year. Using this calculator, along with data from a national nutrition and health survey, a new study estimates that adults ages 40-75 have half the risk of getting atherosclerotic heart disease within 10 years, compared to what was earlier projected. However I would argue that No matter what the guidelines evolve to, we are undertreating people, and that has to be addressed.
In conclusion, the question of whether statins should be free is not just a matter of economics, but a matter of public health. The benefits of making statins more accessible to those who need them far outweigh any potential costs. As a society, we have a responsibility to address the disparities in healthcare access that exist among different populations. Making statins free is a step in the right direction towards improving the overall health of our nation.
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