Statin drugs are medications commonly prescribed to help lower cholesterol. According to the Consumers Union of the United States, statins effectively lower the risk of heart attack and death among people with, or who are at risk for, heart disease. There are currently six statin drugs approved for use in the U.S. along with a few fixed-dose combination drugs containing statins and another cholesterol-lowering or heart medication.
Atorvastatin
Atorvastatin is an approved statin drug used to reduce total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, or "bad" cholesterol. According to Drugs.com, this medication may help people with heart disease or type II diabetes lower their risk of stroke and heart problems such as heart attack.
Fluvastatin
Fluvastatin is a prescription statin drug available in capsule or extended-release tablet form used to treat high cholesterol. According to the Mayo Clinic, it works by blocking an enzyme in the body that is necessary for making cholesterol and is often prescribed along with a special diet to help achieve wanted cholesterol reductions.
Lovastatin
Lovastatin is a statin medication available in tablet and extended-release tablet form that is prescribed to reduce high cholesterol. It helps prevent or slow the progression of coronary heart disease due to a buildup of plaque in the arteries. The Consumers Union of the U.S. says this drug is appropriate for people who need to reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol by 30 percent or less. According to Drugs.com, lovastatin is also commonly prescribed along with a special diet to achieve desired reductions in cholesterol levels.
Pravastatin
Pravastatin is a statin drug that is prescribed to people with coronary heart disease and/or high cholesterol. It works to lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and total cholesterol by blocking cholesterol production in the body, according to Drugs.com. Like lovastatin, pravastatin is another "best buy" drug that is recommended for people who need to reduce their LDL cholesterol by no more than 30 percent, according to the Consumers Union of the U.S.
Rosuvastatin
Rosuvastatin is a statin drug used in conjunction with a special diet to reduce high cholesterol in adults and children ages 10 and older. By blocking cholesterol production in the body, it lowers LDL cholesterol and triglycerides in the bloodstream while also raising levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, according to Drugs.com.
Simvastatin
Simvastatin is a statin drug that blocks cholesterol production, thereby lowering LDL cholesterol and total cholesterol in adults. RXList.com says that patients without coronary heart disease are typically only prescribed simvastatin after a diet low in fat and cholesterol has failed to lower cholesterol levels sufficiently; however, individuals with or at high risk of developing coronary heart disease may start simvastatin and a special diet simultaneously. According to the Consumers Union of the U.S., generic simvastatin is appropriate for people who need to reduce their LDL cholesterol by at least 30 percent and who have heart disease or diabetes, or for people who have had a heart attack in the past or who currently have acute coronary syndrome, regardless of whether their LDL is elevated.
Combination Drugs
Statin drugs may also be combined with other heart medications or vitamins in a single pill or tablet (called fixed-dose combination drugs). For example, one common combination drug contains the statin lovastatin and extended-release niacin (vitamin B3). This drug is prescribed to people who need to lower both LDL and triglycerides, and to those who have had a prior heart attack, according to Drugs.com. Extended-release niacin combined with simvastatin is another similar fixed-dose combination drug. Another combination drug containing the statin drug atorvastatin and amlodipine--a calcium channel blocker used to ease blood flow--may be prescribed to people with high cholesterol and triglycerides and those who have associated chest pain and high blood pressure. The combination drug containing simvastatin and ezetimibe--another anti-cholesterol mediction--works by lowering LDL cholesterol and raising HDL cholesterol, according to Drugs.com.
