Statins are medicines that lower your cholesterol and your risk for a heart attack and stroke.
Cholesterol is a type of fat in your blood. If you have too much cholesterol, it can build up in blood vessels. This raises your risk of coronary artery disease, heart attack, and stroke.
Statins lower cholesterol by blocking how much your body makes. This prevents cholesterol from building up in your blood vessels. This is called hardening of the arteries. It is the starting point for some heart and blood flow problems, such as coronary artery disease. Statins may also reduce inflammation around the buildup (called plaque). This can lower the risk that the plaque will break apart and lead to a heart attack or stroke.
A heart-healthy lifestyle is important for lowering your risk whether you take statins or not. This includes eating healthy foods, being active, staying at a healthy weight, and not smoking.
Examples of statins include:
Statins interact with many medicines. So tell your doctor all of the other medicines that you take. These include prescription medicines, over-the-counter medicines, dietary supplements, and herbal products.
Take a statin regularly so that it can work well. High cholesterol doesn't make you feel sick. That's why some people may not feel that they need to take their medicine. But it's important to take your statin because it can lower your risk of heart attack and stroke. Talk with your doctor if you have side effects that bother you.
Statins are a type of medicine used to lower cholesterol levels and help lower the risk of heart attack and stroke. These medicines block an enzyme the body needs to produce cholesterol, thereby lowering the total amount of it in the blood.
Along with reducing cholesterol levels in the blood, statins reduce inflammation around the cholesterol buildup (called a plaque). By stabilizing the plaque, there is less risk that it will rupture and cause a blood clot that can lead to a heart attack or stroke. Statins are also known as HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors.
Here are some examples of statins. For each item in the list, the generic name is first, followed by any brand names.
This is not a complete list of statins.
Evidence shows that statins may lower a person's chance of having a heart attack or stroke, especially for people who are at high risk for one.
The tables above show the number of people who will have a heart attack or stroke in the next 10 years, arranged by risk level.
The information shown here is based on the best available evidence.
Statins lower the amount of cholesterol in your blood by reducing how much cholesterol your body makes.
Along with lowering cholesterol levels in the blood, statins reduce inflammation around the cholesterol buildup (called a plaque). This may lower the risk that the plaque will break apart and cause a blood clot that can lead to a heart attack or stroke.
The goal in treating cholesterol is to lower your chance of having a heart attack or a stroke. The goal is not to lower your cholesterol numbers alone.
The following guidelines are from the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association.
The two main types of treatment are:
The way you choose to lower your risk will depend on how high your risk for heart attack and stroke is. It will also depend on how you feel about taking medicines. Your doctor can help you know your risk. Your doctor can help you balance the benefits and risks of your treatment options.
A heart-healthy lifestyle is always important, even if you take medicines to lower your risk.
To be heart-healthy:
You and your doctor can work together to understand your risks and what treatment is best for you. Your doctor may recommend that you take statins if the benefits outweigh the risks.
Your doctor is likely to strongly recommend statins if you:
Your doctor is likely to recommend statins if:
For some people, it's not as clear if they would benefit from a statin. To help you decide, you and your doctor can look at your overall health and any other risks you have for heart attack and stroke.
When deciding about medicines, you and your doctor may think about:
Your doctor may talk with you about also taking a cholesterol absorption inhibitor or a PCSK9-inhibitor. These medicines can also reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke for some people. These medicines may be taken along with a statin.
Other medicines can improve cholesterol and triglyceride levels, but they have not been proven to lower the risk of a heart attack or a stroke. These medicines include bempedoic acid, bile acid sequestrants, fibric acid derivatives, and nicotinic acid (niacin).
Statins are used to lower cholesterol and the risk for a heart attack and stroke.
Watch closely for changes in your health, and be sure to contact your doctor if:
Some people who take statins report that they have more muscle aches. But it's not clear whether these are actually a side effect of statins. Most side effects will go away if you stop taking the medicine. You may have other side effects not described here. Check the information that comes with your medicine.
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