OTC Sale of Heart Drug in UK Holds Ray of Hope for 5 Crore Indians

OTC Sale of Heart Drug in UK Holds Ray of Hope for 5 Crore Indians

Hyderabad, January, 2005:A leading Indian heart specialist hailed British government’s approval to Over The Counter (OTC) sale of Simvastatin (10mg), a natural cholesterol lowering drug which reduces the risk of Coronary Artery Disease (CAD), a condition suffered by an estimated five crore people of India.

“This development has enthused the medical fraternity as it would help generate awareness about a drug that can help in the prevention and control of heart disease among the highly prone Indian people,” said Dr. B. Soma Raju, Chairman & Chief of Cardiology, CARE Hospital, Hyderabad.

Underlining the importance of UK government’s decision to OTC sale of Simvastatin (10mg), Dr. Soma Raju noted that statins are not prescribed to several high risk people in India even though Indian are so highly prone to the disease that if unchecked may assume epidemic proportions soon. Incidentally, Simvastatin is the only statin approved by US FDA to reduce mortality in patients with CAD and diabetes, he further added.Since there is no cure available yet for CAD, every possible recourse available to prevent it will be most welcome, said Dr. Soma Raju describing Simvastatin as
a ray of hope for people with high risk of getting heart attack and stroke.

CAD leads to huge economic burden to the patient and to his family apart from causing extreme morbidity and increased mortality. However, coronary artery disease can be prevented says Dr. Soma Raju. Apart from lifestyle modification, Simvastatin is one drug that has enormous amount of data such as the 4S and the Heart Protection Study involving at least 25,000 patients to indicate that it reduces the risk of cardiac events and mortality in high-risk patients added Dr. Soma Raju. Indians are also more prone to diabetes & CAD, so the decision of Simvastatin (10mg) going OTC gains tremendous importance asserted Dr. Soma Raju.

Reachout's News Bureau
January'05

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