Why are British elderly dying before their time.

PS
Both of us refuse statins and ignore the idiocy about cholesterol. Statins are appalling drugs, often with dreadful side effects, but they make insane amounts of money for big pharma businesses. Doctors are afraid NOT to prescribe them, because of the backlash from their bosses.

Too little cholesterol may well be implicated in brain degeneration.

Not sure about the years of healthy living declining eleothan - do you remember where you saw that. However I would agree that the 50-70 age group do not generally appear to take much exercise.
As with many things the more wealthy and better educated people are the better on average their health in later life. It is the biggest single factor.

I think the writer's use of the word "untimely" is quite inappropriate. My father died at 34. Now that was untimely. He means earlier than we might have expected given the way the trend has been going for a long time i.e. slightly premature in the statistical sense.

So no more allotted span of " three score years and ten" then. I'll be happy if I make it into my 80s

I do sometimes think that part of the reason lies with older people themselves. In really cold weather I am often surprised how underdressed people of all ages are when out and about. Younger people will have bare arms or no jackets at all. Older people without hats or gloves, or in bitter sub-zero weather without scarfs covering the lower halves of their faces.

Look at people out in really cold weather in countries like; Scandinavia, Poland, Russia and see people bundled up with multiple layers, hats and scarves, thick boots. They keep themselves very warm when outside. In this country it seems to be considered wimpy to dress warmly at any age.

It's just gone black and started pouring down again, so I've gone and turned the heating up and put another jumper on.
I think much of the problem is to do with the medication that we are given as we get older. I never had any problem with circulation until I had my dissection last year and was given a bagful of extra tablets to take each day. The husbands of two friends had heart attacks last summer. Both of them now complain about feeling the cold when they never used to, just like me.
I'm with you on statins, Joan. That was the worst tablet I was given, so I have now discontinued.

I do wonder why my OH, with 40+ years f medical training and experience- put himself on statins, and asked me to go on statins too- as he truly felt it was truly in our medical interest- even though none of use have highly raised cholesterol- due to other medical conditions. If he had just asked me, I could perhaps think he is trying to harm me ( !!!) but why should he choose to take them? And both of us without any side-effects whatsoever btw. You are totally entitled to your opinion of course- but unless you are medically qualified- I think it would be best not to try and put people off taking them. I know some people who have died, much too eraly indeed- because of this kind of scare mongering.

I was only ever on one prescription (for oestoeporosis) and this made me ill.
Like many of you I've taken myself off all medication and I'm feeling much better. Only time will tell I suppose but hey ho, life's a gamble anyway.

He is, btw, happily retired- and certainly has no financial link or rewards from Big Pharma. He has a friend who is at huge risk of a second heart attack, due to inherited genetic reasons, weight, etc- and who refuses to take them because he believes they cause his (mild) hairloss- he still has a very full head of hair at 64 (: - now if I had to choose, I'd go for the slight hairloss, honest.

Why is it scaremongering, Granjura?
Having had an aortic dissection, I did not come off them for no reason. I had pains in my calf muscles, then my thigh muscles and was getting so I could not walk. They had been reduced by half because something was affecting my eyesight - and I have only ever been able to see out of my left eye since I was 5 years old. My eyesight improved after the statins was reduced, so it was obviously the statins. I came off them with the knowledge of the GP.
I understand that the NHS is talking about starting people on 80mg of Atorvastatin. I was only on 20mg at the highest.
You and your husband are lucky not having any side effects. I can give you a list of people who did have them.

I am so sorry it did not suit you- for whatever reason/s. But it is scaremongering, because if anyone is saying their are dreadful drugs, and imply taking them will cause massive sideeffects in most people- then it may well deter people fromt aking them- whose life could be saved by them. As one of our best friends, very slim, on very healthy diet, no smoking, no alcohol, etc- he was put off from taking them due to comments similar to those mad here- and he died of a massive heart attack aged 63- which could have easily been prevented by taking a small dose of staitins as he was prescribed- and he is not the only one. Scaremongering therefore to imply that because they did not suit you, they will not suit everyone- and cannot be a life-saver for many.

And bordering on fraudulent to say that doctors only prescribe because they are in the pockets of Big Pharmas, which is really not the case in the UK.

I'm not sure how you can be absolutely certain that taking statins would have prevented your friend's heart attack, granjura.

As for scaremongering, there must be evidence of serious side-effects for it to be an issue, and I know my own DH has suffered from weakened muscles since he was put on statins, despite reducing the dosage (with his GP's knowledge). The medical profession seems to be divided - your DH is obviously a supporter, but plenty are not.

His heart attack was directly linked to high cholesterol. But we can all find cases to prove our 'point'- and this is ... not the point.

What I do object to, is people with no medical experience whatsover, making statements like 'they are dreadful drugs' and intimating they will cause terrible side-effects in all or most- which I find to be scaremongering and indeed dangerous, if it puts off people from taking them, for whom they could be a life-saver. Say perhaps that they did cause you or closed one, side-effects- but do not make it sound as if that means it will cause same side-effect for all, and are 'dreadful' drugs.

As said, I trust OH implicitely, and he does have 40+ years of studies and experience which I do not have, so I'd rather listen to his advice- than some blanket statements like the ones read here or other internet sites.
Why on earth would he choose to damage himself, and myself- if he did nto believe that they are very much worth taking, due to inherited genes and other medical conditions- and on the advice of his consultant too, of course.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/04/130410082426.htm
http://www.ageuk.org.uk/latest-news/archive/people-living-longer-but-are-they-living-healthier/

JessM I don't think these were the articles I read, but they do support the fact that a longer life does not necessarily equate to a longer healthy life.

granjura I don't think it's scaremongering to suggest that statins should be taken only when necessary and when all other avenues (such as exercise, weight loss, dietary changes etc) have been explored. I have spoken to several people who experienced joint and muscle pain after being put on statins. I believe the advice is that any such symptoms should immediately be reported to the GP, but some people aren't specifically alerted to this or don't make the link and just soldier on, feeling worse and worse.

Of course, doctors have far more knowledge and expertise than the layperson. But most doctors are very busy and, despite now having to undertake continuing professional development, I'm sure it's difficult for them to keep up with all the research that is being done. Also, if reports are just anecdotal and have not been scientifically researched, doctors will generally pay scant attention. As Ana said, a significant number of doctors have concerns about the increasing tendency to prescribe statins.

www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/04/130410082426.htm
www.ageuk.org.uk/latest-news/archive/people-living-longer-but-are-they-living-healthier/

Sorry, forgot to "blue".

Oh I see. But not something that is actually known to be happening yet. Wouldn't be surprising given the unhealthy lifestyles.

Of course, Eloethan, statins or any other drugs should not be taken if not necessary. But, as said, for some people, due to inherited genes and a history of heart attacks, or who have other medical conditions and raised cholesterol, they can be and are, life-savers. And such comments as seen on this thread and others, could stop those who would benefit, from taking them- to their demise.

More than eight million people in the UK take statins daily and experts say that if five million more took them heart attacks and stroke would be cut by 10,000 a year, saving 2,000 lives.

http://www.express.co.uk/news/health/413772/Statins-really-do-save-your-life-New-study-ends-pill-safety-fears

My one fear is to have a stroke, having seen the devastating effect it has had on friends. So I am grateful for statins.

DD1 is a self employed midwife ( that's normal in Germany) and sees her cases a in their own homes. She doesn't think the increase in age at death will continue. Diat from birth on is not always the best now and she thinks that the generations from the 30s, 40s and 50were better nourished than people born today.
Of course you then have the well educated that know about food and have the discipline not to feed their babies on sweets, coke,chocolate and chips.
presumably they will continue to live longer.

Granjura the jury is out on statins. Just as there are many doctors who are total believers on statins there are an equal number who run from unsure to anti statins, particularly where cholesterol levels are only just over the threshold. Doctors make mistakes, that is why medical insurance is so high. Doctors succumb to fashion, circumcision and tonsillectomies were all the rage when I was a child. Try and get either operation done now, it is almost impossible.They are as professionally flawed and fallible as any other person in their work.

You are lucky not to have side effects. DH tried two or three statins, all made him unwell. We have a friend awaiting an urgent liver transplant. The main reason for it is that it took doctors 5 years to realise that the medical problems he was having were caused by the statins, by which time his liver was seriously damaged and when another problem developed as well, and there is probably cause and effect, the only effective treatment was a transplant. Rather puts one off statins when a close friend is so dreadfully injured by them, even though reason tells one that damage this serious is rare.

The pharmaceuticss industry has a lot invested in statins, they are cheap to make and immensely profitable and think of profits if they can sell them to more and more people in more and more countries. When I see a bandwagon rolling, I make a hasty exit. They always run off the road eventually.

I agree Flickety.
Granjura it is certainly not scaremongering to suggest that statins may do more harm than good and I find it more than a little suspicious that NICE has decided that doctors should recommend them for even patients who are at low risk of heart disease and stroke.
Dr Briffa says this

"The numbers of people who need to be treated with statins for one (person) to benefit are big, and many more people will have adverse effects than who benefit. These are the facts, and it’s about time people some people were straight with them."

I'm not convinced by them

My anti-statin stance is based on the research done by medical professionals working in the field. It is also based on the dreadful side effects my brother and my husband suffered when taking them. They both stopped. Then my scientist brother-in-law did some in depth research when they were prescribed for his wife, my sister, as a preventative measure.

He wanted to be careful because she is a transplant recipient: she had a liver and kidney transplant in 2001. What he found out horrified him: I won't go into it now, but this
www.amazon.com/The-Great-Cholesterol-Con-Disease/dp/1844546101
book by Malcolm Kendrick has a great deal of information.
She never took any statins, and now, 13 years after the transplant is in perfect health at the age of 62.

PS
I should also mention that she has full medical examinations every six months because of the transplants, and they all show perfect health, so it isn't as if she is under any illusions about her health and her heart.She works hard too, as both a translator and as a tutor in computer systems for the blind. She has been totally blind since the age of 8.Her name is Anne Robertson. Here is some of her work:
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/macvisionaries/kVFnmig8lqQ

Granjura, can you tell me where I said "most people" because I cannot find it. What I can find is me writing about my experience and the experiences of people I personallyknow who have given up on statins. That is not most people.

Granjura, my husband refused to go on statins. He was type one diabetic, and was being treated for high blood pressure because of the diabetes. His cholesterol level was four, but because the guidelines said that diabetics should have statins, he was always told he should go on them by every medical person he met.
He said that his brother had suffered from side effects, and was told that the only real side effect was muscle pain. As he had been in pain for 15 years since he fell off a ladder and fractured his spine, he assured them that he really did not want any more pain.
He died two years ago from a brain tumour, aged 65. Nothing to do with the statins.