Statins, medications prescribed to lower cholesterol levels, are the best selling group of medications in America, according to the Harvard Medical School Family Health Guide. Statins lower total cholesterol levels by lowering low-density lipoproteins, or LDL, the "bad" cholesterol. Low density lipoprotein, which comprises the bulk of cholesterol in your blood, making up between 60 and 70 percent of total cholesterol, can stick to the side of blood vessels, causing plaque formation that narrows vessels and reduces blood flow. Lowering LDL levels helps reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Purpose
Statins can reduce the risk of heart disease by 37 percent, particularly in men with other risk factors for heart disease, the Harvard Medical School Family Health Guide states. Generally, medical personnel prescribe statins if you have high total or LDL cholesterol levels in addition to other heart disease risk factors, such as being overweight, smoking, diabetes, high blood pressure or being over age 55 if you're male and over 65 if you're female.
Mechanism
Statins lower LDL cholesterol levels by blocking an enzyme called HMG-CoA reductase, which your liver uses to manufacture cholesterol. Statins may also help your body absorb cholesterol already forming plaque on blood vessel walls, MayoClinic.com states.
Goal
The goal of statin treatment is to lower the LDL cholesterol level to less than 100 mg/dL, currently considered an optimal level, according to the Harvard Medical School Family Guide. For high risk individuals, medical personnel might suggest keeping LDL levels around 70 mg/dL.
Risks
Like any medications, statins can have side effects, some potentially serious. You may experience muscle and joint aches, the most common side effect according to MayoClinic.com. Other common side effects include nausea, diarrhea or constipation. More serious side effects include increased liver enzymes that can lead to liver damage. Because of this potential risk, your doctor may require period blood tests to check for liver enzyme elevation. Muscle breakdown, or rhabdomyolysis, can cause pain and tenderness; in severe cases, it can cause kidney damage. Rarely, statins can cause interstitial lung disease, so tell your medical practitioner if you experience shortness of breath.
Considerations
Taking statin drugs is likely to be a life-long commitment, MayoClinic.com advises. Certain caveats apply when taking statins. Eating grapefruit or drinking grapefruit juice while taking the drug can raise the level of drug in your blood and increase the risk of side effects, so avoid grapefruit products. Certain antibiotics and cyclosporine can also interfere with statins, the Patient UK website states.
