Is your low-density lipoprotein (LDL) level high? If yes, will you need a statin to bring it down? Are these cholesterol-lowering medications right for you?
Statins are the most common class of drugs prescribed by doctors to help reduce bad cholesterol levels in the blood. Not only that, but statins also help prevent stroke and heart attacks.
However, statins are no longer prescribed based only on the blood test results of a person. Today, these drugs are prescribed to those people living with cardiovascular disease or at a high risk of having a stroke or heart attack.
FDA-Approved Statin Drugs
There are currently 11 FDA-approved statin medications in the United States, four of which are fixed-dose combination drugs. Below are the seven primary statin drug agents:
• Rosuvastatin (Crestor)
• Simvastatin (Zocor)
• Pravastatin (Pravachol)
• Pitavastatin (Livalo)
• Lovastatin (Mevacor)
• Fluvastatin (Lescol)
• Atorvastatin (Lipitor)
Read BuzzRx’s breakdown on Rosuvastatin vs Atorvastatin and other types of statins to compare their effects to one another. What’s more, affordable generic versions are available, as well.
Should You Be On A Statin?
According to the newly released AHA-ACC guidelines for treating high cholesterol, statins should only be prescribed to those with a heavy plaque in their blood vessels, which means not focusing on treating high cholesterol but treating high risk.
Risk management means examining and studying the entire risk profile of a person. It includes whether they are former or current smokers, have established heart disease or high blood pressure, or have a family history of the complication.
And based on this profile, doctors decide how aggressive a person’s cholesterol treatment should be. The following are the people who will benefit the most from statins:
• people between 40 and 75 years old who have a ten-year risk of heart disease, at least 7.5%
• people with pre-existing cardiovascular disease
• people between 40 and 75 years old living with type II diabetes
• people with an LDL level of at least 190 mg per dL
The first group is generally based on the risk calculator. This tool helps doctors predict your likelihood of having a heart attack in the next ten to thirty years.
The following are often considered in computing your risk:
• Health conditions
• Smoking habits
• Sex
• Race
• Age
• Cholesterol levels
If your long-term risk of a stroke or heart disease is low, then you won’t likely need a statin. While the last three groups automatically qualify for the cholesterol-lowering medications.
Taking Statins
Statin drugs come as tablets and are usually taken once a day. For other types of statin, it doesn’t matter when you take it; but make sure to stick to the same time. Moreover, some types of statin need to be taken in the evening.
With that said, it’s essential to check with your doctor if there’s a specific time of day you should take your medication. If you skip a dose, it’d be best to take your next dose the next day, don’t take an extra one to set things right.
Benefits of Stain Drugs
These cholesterol-lowering medications work by blocking HMG Co-A reductase, a liver enzyme responsible for cholesterol synthesis. Additionally, the regular use of statin drugs is linked with a substantial decline in LDL cholesterol, a significant increase in HDL cholesterol, and a slight drop in triglycerides.
Moreover, these reactions translate to further cardiovascular benefits, such as:
• Plaque stabilization and reduction
• Decreased blood clot formation
• Decreased arterial inflammation
Common Side Effects
Even though statin drugs offer far-reaching benefits to people at risk of stroke or heart disease, a few side effects are linked with their use. The side effects vary from mild to moderate in gravity and are usually alleviated once the body becomes used to the treatment.
The following are the most common side effects associated with statin use:
• Muscle aches
• Reduced concentration
• Fatigue
• Dizziness
• Rash
• Headache
• Gas
• Nausea
• Upset stomach
In addition, statin drugs can cause an increase in liver enzymes in 1:100 users, as well. But, on the whole, this increase isn’t linked with permanent or severe liver damage. Even so, people with underlying liver problems need to be more careful if statins are prescribed.
What’s more, statin drugs appear to elevate the risk of type II diabetes in some users. In particular, postmenopausal women.
Healthy Lifestyle Is Still Key
For preventing heart disease, lifestyle changes are crucial, whether you take a statin or not. Boost your heart health with these tips:
• Keep a healthy weight.
• Sit less and be more active.
• Eat a healthy diet.
• Avoid secondhand smoke and quit smoking.
• Reduce stress.
• Limit alcohol.
• Get enough sleep
• Get regular health screenings.
Final Thoughts
If you qualify for using a statin in lowering your cholesterol levels, keep in mind that it is a lifelong commitment. You can’t stop using it even if your cholesterol goes down because the benefits will only continue as long as you take your statin drug. Otherwise, your cholesterol level could rise again.
