Stents - how effective are they at increasing your stint of life?

My father-in-law has two, my mother-in-law has one, and my aunt recently had one inserted into one of her arteries. Stents seem to be the device of choice for doctors who treat heart patients, but do the benefits outweigh the hassles of this invasive procedure?

A new study suggests that the added costs of stents combined with drugs come without any significant gains in life-years or quality-adjusted life-years in comparison with the use of drugs alone.

So what does this study tell us? If you read between the lines, it tells us that the market for medical devices and prescription drugs is huge. In my opinion, it is all about the money - it always has been. The pharmaceutical companies are grossly wealthy. 

We, as individuals, should release ourselves from the pharmaceutical companies' ties and decide to take a holistic approach to our health. What ever happened to the notion of a establishing and living by a healthy diet and exercise? I'm not talking about diving into a drastic regimen from the start, but rather making moderate changes to improve your overall well-being. It's the little things that can make a world of difference. I know that this requires tremendous commitment and that it's not easy, but it is certainly possible. 

To read more about this study, click here.