Well, I'll give you an incling into how it is from the other side......
We're faced with a patient with a slightly raised cholesterol.
The evidence tells us that if we reduce the cholesterol, then the patient is less likely to suffer a stroke/heart attack, than if we don't.
We know that if the patient worked at his diet, exercise etc, he is likely to reduce his cholesterol, and chance of having a stroke.
We know that some patients are unlikely to make the changes and stick to 'em long term.
We know that we can use a chemical to lower cholesterol, but it's costly, and can have adverse effects.
We have to balance the cost& risk of the drug, against the benefits. We use the
Framingham Score at the moment to guide us, but we will be using a more refined tool shortly.
Have a look at the bp thread to find out more. All interesting stuff.
