Heart attacks: new fears

UK HEART FAILURE WARNING

Thousands of people in Britain may be at risk of death from heart failure brought on by 'life-saving' drugs, a new study warned.

Statin drugs are taken by one million people each day in the UK to reduce the risk of heart disease and strokes.

Hailed as a "wonder drug", they block the body's production of cholesterol leading to heart attacks and strokes.

But a new study in the US reveals the drugs also deplete the body's ability to produce coenzyme Q10, (CoQ10).

Reduced levels of this vital nutrient results in heart failure and death, the research suggests.

US cardiologist Dr Peter Langsjoen, the author of the study, will present his findings at a medical conference in central London.

He said: "I think people taking statins should be very worried. I don't think this can be ignored."

Statins, costing £1 per pill, are currently restricted to people who have heart disease and raised cholesterol.

They were first used in the UK in 1996.