Statins are a class of drugs used to treat high cholesterol in patients who may be unable to lower their cholesterol levels naturally through dietary and lifestyle changes. According to the American Heart Association, there are currently six statins available by prescription in the United States. While given to patients initially to help reduce the risk of developing coronary artery disease, these drugs may have additional health benefits as well.
Increased Bone Density
While more research is needed to back this theory, the doctors at Mayo Clinic state that statins may help protect against osteoporosis, bone fractures and arthritis. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons states that when statins are injected directly into the bones or bone marrow of mice and rats, bone formation increased by nearly 50 percent in five days; when the statins were given orally, the process was slower and the bone formation smaller.
The Academy goes on to state specific case studies, such as one performed on elderly patients enrolled in a New Jersey public assistance health-care program. This specific study was conducted by researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital, and it was found that elderly patients taking statins appeared to have significantly fewer hip fractures than elderly patients not taking statins. More controlled studies are required to prove this benefit as fact, however.
Improved Kidney Function
According to the medical experts at the Mayo Clinic, statins may protect your kidneys due to the effect they have on both your blood pressure and cholesterol.
A study was conducted by Dr. Moshe Levi who has specialized in Nephrology at the university of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas and the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in Denver. The studies were called the Cochrane Controlled Trials and were conducted in March 2005; 27 studies were conducted in all. The results of these trials showed that the rate at which kidney failure occurred was lower by 76 percent in the group taking the statins than the group that was not. In his conclusion, Dr. Levi states that statins appear to have a small yet beneficial effect on the rate at which kidney function declines, especially in patients suffering from either cardiovascular disease or a condition called proteinuria (protein in the urine).
Reduced Risk of Heart Attacks
While this may seem apparent, especially if your cholesterol levels are reduced, this benefit actually has nothing to do with your cholesterol levels; instead, it has everything to do with the lining of your blood vessels.
One of the many benefits of statins is their ability to reduce inflammation, which in turn helps stabilize your blood vessels. By doing this, the plaques that have built up along the walls of your blood vessels are less likely to burst, which reduces your risk of suffering from a heart attack.
Statins do more for your blood vessels than stabilize them; these drugs also help relax your blood vessels, which helps lower your blood pressure. Your risk of blood clots is also reduced, as statins help thin blood as well. These two health benefits combined help reduce your risk of a stroke.
