Statins and Cholesterol
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- Statins and cholesterol overview
- How do statins work?
- Who should not use these medications?
- Drug or food interactions
- Side effects
- Synonyms and Keywords
- Authors and Editors
Statins and cholesterol overview
Statins, also known as HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, are highly effective cholesterol-lowering medications. Statins have been studied extensively and overall have been proven to decrease the risk of heart attack, stroke, and other coronary artery diseases that are related to high cholesterol levels.
Statins, which are medications available only by prescription, are only considered after certain lifestyle changes have been made. These lifestyle changes include the following:
- Low-saturated fat, low-cholesterol diet
- Increased physical activity
- Smoking cessation
- Weight loss
If these changes have not lowered your risk for developing coronary heart disease after about 3 months, your doctor may consider prescribing a statin. If this medication is prescribed, the above lifestyle changes must still be followed. Results are usually seen after 4-6 weeks of taking statins.
Commonly prescribed statins include the following:
- Atorvastatin (Lipitor)
- Fluvastatin (Lescol)
- Lovastatin (Mevacor, Altocor)
- Pravastatin (Pravachol)
- Simvastatin (Zocor)
- Rosuvastatin (Crestor)
Statins come in tablet or capsule forms and are usually taken with the evening meal or at bedtime.
For more about medications used to lower cholesterol, see Understanding Cholesterol-Lowering Medications.
Next: How do statins work? »
Cholesterol Management
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Statins and Cholesterol
Coronary Heart Disease Overview
Coronary heart disease (CHD), also called coronary artery disease, affects about 14 million men and women in the United States.
Disease develops when a combination of fatty material, calcium, and scar tissue (plaque) builds up in the arteries that supply the heart with blood. Through these arteries, called the coronary arteries, the heart muscle (myocardium) gets the oxygen and other nutrients it needs to pump blood.
- The plaque often narrows the artery so that the heart
does not get enough blood.
- This slowing of blood flow causes chest pain, or angina.
- If plaque completely blocks blood flow, it may cause a heart attack
(myocardial infarction) or a fatal rhythm disturbance (sudden cardiac arrest).
- A major cause of death and disability, coronary heart disease claims more lives in the United States than the next 7 leading causes of death combined.
The heart consist...
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Hypercholesterolemia, Familial »
Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is an autosomal dominant disorder that causes severe elevations in total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLc).
