New Cholesterol Guideline Called Inaccurate By Top Boston Heart Doctors

New Cholesterol Guideline Called Inaccurate By Top Boston Heart Doctors
FILE - This undated photo provided by by Watson Pharmaceuticals Inc., shows Atorvastatin Calcium tablets, a generic form of Lipitor, which is being sold under a deal with Pfizer. The nation's first new guidelines in a decade for preventing heart attacks and strokes call for twice as many Americans ? one-third of all adults ? to consider taking cholesterol-lowering statin drugs such as this or Zocor or Crestor. The guidelines, issued Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2013 by the American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology, are a big change. They use a new formula for estimating someone's risk that includes many factors besides cholesterol, the main focus now. (AP Photo/Watson Pharmaceuticals Inc., Bill Gallery)
FILE - This undated photo provided by by Watson Pharmaceuticals Inc., shows Atorvastatin Calcium tablets, a generic form of Lipitor, which is being sold under a deal with Pfizer. The nation's first new guidelines in a decade for preventing heart attacks and strokes call for twice as many Americans ? one-third of all adults ? to consider taking cholesterol-lowering statin drugs such as this or Zocor or Crestor. The guidelines, issued Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2013 by the American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology, are a big change. They use a new formula for estimating someone's risk that includes many factors besides cholesterol, the main focus now. (AP Photo/Watson Pharmaceuticals Inc., Bill Gallery)

New cholesterol treatment recommendations released by two heart organizations last week have come under fierce criticism for overestimating the number of people who should be prescribed cholesterol-lowering statins.

Two heart researchers from Brigham and Women's hospital tested a risk assessment tool a few days after it was published in the new guideline and found that it greatly overestimates the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and may result in millions of people being unnecessarily given statins to prevent heart attacks and strokes.

Popular in the Community

Close

HuffPost Shopping’s Best Finds

MORE IN LIFE