Statins and Heart Disease

Research on

statins and heart disease has shown that these medications can help prevent heart attacks, strokes, and other similar problems. Statins have been shown to decrease the chances of developing heart disease in people who have high cholesterol without any existing coronary heart disease. In this group of people, some statins have been shown to decrease the chances of:

Having a heart attack

Dying from a heart or blood vessel-related problem (cardiovascular disease)

Needing a heart procedure, such as angioplasty or open heart surgery (known medically as coronary artery bypass graft surgery, or CABG).

In people who already have heart disease, some statins have been shown to decrease the chances of developing several conditions, including:

Heart attacks
Strokes or transient ischemic attacks (known as a TIAs or "mini-strokes")
Loss of life from a heart or blood vessel-related problem (cardiovascular disease)
Conditions in which a heart procedure, such as angioplasty or open heart surgery, is necessary.

Some statins have been shown to decrease the rate at which atherosclerosis develops in people who have an existing heart disease.

(Click What Are Statins Used For? for a complete overview of statins and heart disease, including information on how these medications can help prevent problems such as heart attacks, strokes, and other similar problems.)