Warning....This is a non-genetics post (for now)
Yesterday in the media and the New England Journal of Medicine an article was released. This meta-analysis implicated a PPAR gamma activator named Rosiglitazone in the increased risk of heart attack, and death from heart attack. The risk fo heart attack was increased by 43% and the risk for death from cardiovascular causes was increased by 64%. Now before you get too crazy let's do some data analysis.
- The study is a meta analysis of 42 articles. This methodology is fraught with problems.
- The second result....64% increased risk of death is not even statistically significant P value of 0.06 with a confidence interval which includes REDUCED RISK OF DEATH.
- This study is a policy play, based on the fears of Vioxx.
The Gene Sherpa Says: Don't get me wrong, if you have risk of heart disease in the family, then you should not take this drug now. At least until a full proper study can be done. But please, don't freak out. Just talk to your doctor about this risk!
1 comment:
my husband used avandia since 1999 he had no known heart problems in february he had a heart attack at age 58 (in front on me) and after being shocked was in a coma for two weeks before dying I had a gut feeling for the last two years that although the blood sugar readings were fine something was off with the diabetes I will never know the truth, but I think the avandia contributed to this
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