Cholesterol Controversy Shows Medicine Needs Big Data, Not Old Data

This article brings up an interesting discrepancy between  cardiac arrest risk projections and actual cardiac risk statistics that is leading to an over-prescription of statin drugs to reduce cholesterol. In  fact, the assessed risk rate was found to be double the actual risk rate. Also unusual are the prescription criteria, which in some cases recommend prescription to patients with some risk factors that don't actually include high cholesterol, whereas some patients who are otherwise healthy with high cholesterol will not receive this medication. Despite the current political climate in America, with all this debate about healthcare, very few people are focusing on the healthcare itself. This is just one instance where laziness or oversight has led to inferior patient care in America. More studies need to be funded so patients aren't the victim of  fraudulent medical charges. This is a moral and ethical slight against the patients, Americans who just want to go to a hospital to be made well, not broke.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/matthewherper/2013/11/20/cholesterol-guidelines-controversy-shows-medicine-needs-big-data-desperately/