Statins Simplified

Of all the cholesterol-lowering drugs out there, you’ve probably heard the most about statins. One reason for their renown is that statins are the most effective medications for bringing down LDL (bad) cholesterol. 

A doctor might recommend that you take a statin if you have high LDL, coupled with other heart disease risks like diabetes or smoking.

These are some of the most common statins people use today:

• atorvastatin (Lipitor)
• simvastatin (Zocor)
• rosuvastatin (Crestor)
• pravastatin (Pravachol)
• lovastatin (Mevacor)
• fluvastatin (Lescol)
• simvastatin/ezetimibe (Vytorin)

Lipitor and Crestor come in high intensity doses, which can lower LDL cholesterol by more than 50 percent. These drugs are prescribed to people with the following conditions or risk factors:

• coronary artery disease
• peripheral artery disease
• stroke
• diabetes
• LDL cholesterol above 190 mg/dL

The other statins come in low intensity doses, which lower LDL by less than 30 percent, and moderate intensity doses, which lower it by 30 to 50 percent. Which of these drugs your doctor prescribes depends on your heart health and risk factors.

Statins have also gained notoriety in recent years. Misconceptions abound about whether they actually work and what side effects they cause. 

Let’s set the record straight on these often-misunderstood medications.