Menéndez-Conde SM

Language: Spanish
References: 12
Page: 57-60
PDF size: 61.55 Kb.

ABSTRACT

In the light of the truth, the decrease in relative risk, (RR) must be abandoned in favor of the reduction in absolute risk (AR) in the evaluation of the benefits afforded by the medications. Three of them prescribed in coronary heart disease (CHD) are reviewed, thrombolytics (8 studies), in the prevention of mortality in acute myocardial infarction (AMI), statins (6 studies) and clopidogrel compared with aspirin (1 study) in the prevention of CHD or its complications, or myocardial infarction fatal or not. The thrombolytics reduced the mortality in AMI in average, 25% in RR an 2.5% in AR. The statins decreased the CHD or its complications, from 18% to 42% in RR and from 0.8% to 3.6% AR. The clopidogrel compared with aspirin reduced the myocardial infarction (MI) fatal or not in 18% RR and in 0.6% AR. It is concluded that the evaluation by RR magnifies incorrectly the benefits of the medications. They must be evaluated by the reduction in AR that demonstrates that the medications of high cost herein reported are of no benefit to the patients. It is mentioned the real meaning of “p” in the evaluation of the benefits afforded by the medicaments.

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