Statin drugs, the treatment of choice by millions of Americans, are drugs that lower total cholesterol count by lowering LDL or “bad” cholesterol. They do not raise HDL or “good” cholesterol numbers, which instead can be improved greatly through regular aerobic exercise.
By blocking a liver enzyme needed to make cholesterol, statins can lower LDL cholesterol by 20 to 50 percent toward a healthier target level. Statin drugs have anti-inflammatory properties (see Part 4), preventing plaques from rupturing and forming clots. Statins may also help your body reabsorb cholesterol that has been built up in plaques on your artery walls, and thus, they can prevent further blockage in your blood vessels and potential heart attacks, as well as potential strokes. They reduce the possibility of developing angina (the pain resulting from clogged arteries). Statin drugs include Zocor, Lipitor, Mevacor, Pravachol, and Crestor, among the more well-known. Lower-cost generic versions of these and other statin drugs are also available.
Statin drugs are used for those who have already suffered heart attacks or vascular problems to prevent further cardiac encounters. Heart patients with normal cholesterol levels who take statin drugs can cut their risk of a heart attack and other cardiac problems by 20 to 30 percent.
Statins are also used for a large number of adults who have high LDL counts with at least one or more cardiac risk factors (mainly: high blood pressure, smoking, obesity/sedentary lifestyle, heredity, poor diet, diabetes, age (men over 45/women over 55), carotid artery blockage, low HDL level). Be aware of your cardiac-risk profile.
More recently, a trial and a study have supported a possibly wider use for statins. The JUPITER Trial, 2010, showed that statins were successful in preventing heart disease in healthy senior women, as well as in healthy senior men, with no risk factors. The two-year study included 6,801 women and 11,001 men aged 60 or older with elevated levels of C-reactive protein (CRP mentioned in Part 4), a marker of inflammation recently considered as a new number-one cause of coronary disease.
While both men and women on the trial statin pill did extremely well when compared with their counterpart placebo participants, women on the statin pill appeared to have a 46 percent lower risk of developing heart disease. In fact, researchers found that the same women who had a family history of heart disease had the most to gain from statin treatment.
Dr. Ko, our Wellness Medical Director, tells us about the results of the 4S study, Scandinavia Simvasitin (Zocor) Survival Study, now adopted in Scandinavian countries as part of their Universal Health Plan.
“They are using it because the placebo and actual pill showed a survival standard – the proof [is] in the pudding,” he said.
Always be pro-active in strengthening your own present and future health. Become a partner with your doctor in making potentially critical life-saving decisions. This advice is no more important than is your choice of whether to use statins. Keep an open channel of communication with your physician. Once you are on a statin, it could be a prescription for life. That does not mean that the statin drug and its dosage cannot be altered.
Statins have received some very negative reviews from alternative medicine and some medical critics due to profits involved and side-effects.
“[They] crucify drug companies,” Dr. Ko said. “It is upsetting when people who can benefit from statins won’t take [them]. Statin side-effects are overstated, but muscle breakdowns do occur.”
An over-the-counter supplement, Coenzyme Q10, may treat some of the more common muscle-related side effects of statins in a more holistic approach. Always discuss with your physician any negative side-effects you are experiencing. Discuss possible interactions with other medications and certain foods.
He/she alone should tell you whether your medications should be stopped. Among other possible statin side-effects are mild abdominal discomfort and bowel irregularity, which should fade as your body adjusts to the new drug. If you have liver or diabetes conditions, however, strong monitoring will be necessary as you take these medications. As you can see, it is always better to control your risk factors through lifestyle changes when this can be accomplished.
Next Edition: Part 6: For your heart’s sake
