Benefits Outweigh Risks of Statins

A recent study shows that a larger segmentof the population could see the positiveeffects of statin therapy. Forinstance, the medication could help preventpatients with diabetes and individualsat high risk of heart disease fromexperiencing a heart attack or stroke,even if their cholesterol levels do not fallinto the high category.

In their study, the researchers assessedthe results of 14 earlier trialsinvolving statin treatment in 90,000 individuals.Aside from high-risk patients withlow cholesterol showing positive results,the international research team said thatthe individuals who had the highestreduction in their cholesterol level reapedthe greatest benefit.

The researchers found no evidence ofan increased risk of cancer. They alsofound no evidence that extremely lowcholesterol levels were linked withincreased odds of being diagnosed withother diseases. Although higher dosesof statins were tied to a higher risk ofserious muscle problems, those occurrenceswere rare.