Statin medications are prescribed for people who have high LDL (low density lipoprotein), or bad cholesterol, and high total cholesterol. Taking a statin can lower your cholesterol and lower your risk of developing heart disease or having a heart attack or a stroke.
High Cholesterol’s Impact on the Body
Cholesterol is a waxy substance found in the cells of your body. Your body uses cholesterol to produce hormones, vitamin D and substances that help digest food. Your body needs a certain level of cholesterol to function effectively. Some cholesterol is produced by your liver. The rest comes from foods you eat that contain dietary cholesterol, especially meat, fish, eggs and dairy.
When you have too much LDL cholesterol, it can combine with other material in the bloodstream to form plaque—a sticky, hard substance that builds up inside blood vessel walls to restrict or cut off blood flow. Over time, plaque builds up causes arteries to harden, a condition called atherosclerosis, which is a risk factor for coronary artery disease and other types of heart disease. The gradual buildup of plaque can cause emergency health conditions. When plaque in an artery produces a blood clot, it can lead to a heart attack or stroke.
What is High Cholesterol?
What’s considered high cholesterol? It varies, depending on a person’s age. A blood test called a lipid panel measures cholesterol levels. High cholesterol for those 19 and younger would be more than 170 mg/dL for total cholesterol and more than 100 mg/dL for LDL cholesterol. For people 20 and older, high cholesterol is a total cholesterol reading of more than 200 mg/dL and more than 100 mg/dL for LDL cholesterol.
While triglycerides are not a type of cholesterol, they are often included in a lipid panel and play a role in your heart health. Triglycerides are considered borderline high between 150 and 199 mg/dL and high when the measurement reaches 200 mg/dL or above. High triglycerides often accompany high cholesterol and may be treated using a combination medication that includes a statin.
How Statin Medications Work
To limit plaque buildup in the arteries and lower heart disease risks, it’s important to maintain healthy cholesterol levels. Statins are used to help people with high cholesterol get to a healthier level while also protecting the arteries.
Statin medications work by blocking a specific enzyme in the liver that is needed to make cholesterol and other sterols. By inhibiting this enzyme, statins lower production of total cholesterol, “bad” LDL cholesterol and triglycerides.
Statins also increase the production of “good” HDL cholesterol in the body and can reduce inflammation along the artery walls.
There are multiple types of statins, differing in their dosage and potency as well as the type of high cholesterol they treat. Many statins contain a single medication, but statins can also be found in combination medications that treat more than one type of elevated statins, such as high total cholesterol and high triglycerides.
Side Effects of Statin Medications
In most cases, statin medications can be safely taken to help decrease the production of harmful cholesterol in the body. Side effects are typically minor and commonly include diarrhea, forgetfulness, headache, heartburn and joint pain.
Muscle aches are the most common side effect and may diminish over time. In cases where they don’t go away, your doctor may switch you to a different type of statin medication. Severe muscle pain should be discussed with your health care provider right away since it can be a sign of rhabdomyolysis, which destroys muscle cells.
Rarely, liver damage or liver failure can occur. Because of this, statin medications are not recommended for people with liver disease. Liver enzymes should be checked prior to beginning statin therapy and as your provider recommends afterward.
Statin-related memory issues, including memory loss, forgetfulness, confusion and amnesia, have been reported in rare instances. In most cases, these symptoms are mild and cease after you stop taking the medication.
Do I Need to Take Statin Medications?
High cholesterol is common among Americans, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reporting that nearly 94 million American adults have the condition.
While these medications can be used in nearly anyone who has high cholesterol, they’re commonly prescribed for people at higher risk of developing atherosclerosis and heart disease. According to the American Heart Association, those at high risk include:
- Adults between the ages of 40 and 75 who have diabetes
- Adults between the ages of 40 and 75 who have an LDL cholesterol between 70 and 189 mg/dL and a 5 to 19.9 percent 10-year risk of developing heart disease from atherosclerosis and other factors that increase risk
- Adults between the ages of 40 and 75 who have an LDL cholesterol between 70 and 189 mg/dL and a 20 percent or greater 10-year risk of developing heart disease from atherosclerosis
- Adults who have a history of heart disease related to atherosclerosis
- Anyone with an LDL cholesterol level of greater than 190 mg/dL
Your health care provider can advise you about your 10-year heart health risk, and basic lab work from a blood draw at your doctor’s office can identify your LDL cholesterol level. An LDL cholesterol level of 100 or lower is considered healthy.
Those at risk for atherosclerosis may benefit from a statin medication. Risk factors include advanced age, a family history of heart attacks, diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity or living a sedentary lifestyle.
Ultimately, whether or not to use statins is a question for your health care provider, who will provide a recommendation based on your personal health history, your family medical history, your cholesterol levels and your lifestyle.
Statins are not recommended for people:
- With liver or kidney disease
- Who are pregnant or breastfeeding
- Who have recently experienced a stroke or a mini stroke (also known as transient ischemic attack, or TIA)
Because statins can affect blood sugar, those with diabetes should be carefully monitored if taking a statin.
Statins are typically prescribed as one piece of a treatment plan. These medications are most effective when used in combination with lifestyle changes, such as:
- Getting daily exercise
- Eating a diet low in saturated fat and sodium
- Not smoking
- Getting quality sleep
- Reducing stress
- Maintaining a healthy weight as advised by a doctor
If your health care provider prescribes statins, it’s essential to take the medication as directed. Some other medications, as well as certain foods, can interfere with the absorption of a statin medication. Grapefruits, for instance, contain a compound that can cause your body to absorb too much of certain statin medications. Pay careful attention to directions and talk with your provider or pharmacist about common interactions.
