How Do Statins Work to Protect Your Heart?
Cholesterol lowering drug can help prevent heart attacks, strokes
Cholesterol lowering drug can help prevent heart attacks, strokes
High cholesterol is a familiar warning sign for heart disease. While some people can control their cholesterol through diet and exercise, others also may need medication. That’s where statins come in.
Statins are prescription drugs that help lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease. They are among the most common heart medications. Millions of people in the United States take statins.
“Your doctor will consider all your risk factors, including cholesterol levels and medical conditions,” says Todd Hitchcock, MD, a cardiologist at Scripps Clinic Carmel Valley. “If your doctor recommends statins, it’s because you are at risk for heart disease or stroke.”
Who needs statins?
Statins are medications for people with high cholesterol, which increases the risk of heart disease. They may also be prescribed to people at high risk for heart disease, even if their cholesterol is normal. This includes people with diabetes or high blood pressure.
What is cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a fatty substance made by the liver that circulates in the blood and is essential for good health. Your body needs it to build cells and make vitamins and other hormones.
Cholesterol comes from two sources: your liver produces most of it, while the rest comes from animal foods like meat, poultry and dairy products.
There are two types of cholesterol. One is good. The other is bad.
HDL cholesterol (high-density lipoprotein) is the good cholesterol. It helps remove the bad cholesterol and protect the arteries.
LDL cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein) is the bad cholesterol that can clog your arteries. Saturated fats, such as those in beef and full-fat dairy, can increase LDL cholesterol and increase the risk for heart attack or stroke.
“When you eat a lot of these foods, especially those that are high in saturated and trans fats, your liver produces more cholesterol than the body needs — and that can lead to serious problems,” says Dr. Hitchcock.
Why is high cholesterol bad?
When there is too much bad cholesterol in your blood, it can combine with other substances and form plaques in your arteries. These plaques can narrow or block your arteries, leading to heart disease.
“It can disrupt the normal flow of oxygen-rich blood to the heart, which is why it’s important to know your risk factors,” Dr. Hitchcock says. In addition, “high cholesterol has no signs or symptoms, which is why it’s important to have your doctor check your cholesterol levels. All it takes is a simple blood test.”
What is a cholesterol test?
High cholesterol has no symptoms, but a simple blood test can check cholesterol levels. This test, also called a lipid panel, measures cholesterol and triglyceride levels in your body. Triglycerides are a type of fat in your blood that your body uses for energy.
High triglycerides, along with low levels of good cholesterol and high levels of bad cholesterol, can raise your risk of heart attack and stroke.
How do statins work?
Statins lower bad cholesterol by blocking a liver enzyme that makes cholesterol. They also help the liver remove more cholesterol from the blood, reducing overall levels. This two-step process is highly effective at lowering LDL, or bad cholesterol.
What are the risks of statins?
Statins can cause mild side effects. These include muscle aches, constipation, and nausea. However, most people feel fine as their body adjusts to the medication.
Sometimes, statins can have serious side effects like muscle pain, liver damage, high blood sugar and memory problems.
“Talk to your doctor if you have concerns about side effects. When side effects do happen, it may just be a matter of changing your statin to a different one that works better for you,” Dr. Hitchcock adds.
Lowering cholesterol with healthy lifestyle
While statins can help lower heart disease risk, they are not a cure on their own. They work best when combined with healthy habits.
“The primary ways heart attack and stroke risk can be reduced are by leading a healthy lifestyle,” Dr. Hitchcock says. “This includes managing high blood pressure, not smoking, eating healthy and getting plenty of exercise. But sometimes a pill in combination with lifestyle adjustments can create the best treatment.”