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Healthy Life Extended by Eight Years in a Landmark Study
By: William H. Bestermann, Jr., MD
We know we can extend healthy life using readily available medications and a team-based, systematic approach. But, do we have the will to do it?
A landmark study from Denmark demonstrated that simple medical interventions can extend healthy lifespan today. It compared usual care for diabetes to care delivered by a protocol-driven team-based intervention. The study had an impressive twenty-one years of follow-up. The results showed that healthy life in humans can be extended by eight years. Further, these results were achieved at a lower per patient per year cost.
Before diving into the details of the study, here is some background.
Background
The investigators already knew that certain types of medications have a greater impact on cardiovascular events compared to other medications that are also able to lower the target risk factor to the same level. These medications include:
- ACE inhibitors for slowing chronic kidney disease
- statins for high cholesterol
- metformin for diabetes
What they wanted to determine in this study was whether a multifactorial intervention with a protocol that included aspirin…
