Should I take statins?

Since 80% of cardiovascular disease is caused by lack of exercise, poor diet and smoking, it would be better to address these factors rather than pop a statinShould everyone over 50 be taking statins? asked an editorial in the Lancet last year. No, said an analysis article in last week's BMJ. Statins, in case you've escaped the hype, are drugs that block an enzyme in the liver that's needed to make cholesterol (we make it as well as eat it). Statins reduce levels of low density lipoproteins – the bad cholesterol that furs up arteries and can cause heart disease. But is there any benefit in taking a statin if you have a low risk of heart disease (you can currently buy them from your pharmacist if you are assessed as high risk)? And won't a healthy diet and exercise reduce cholesterol anyway?The solutionThere is a heated debate about statins in medicine. Some doctors feel that drug companies are pushing statins for increasing numbers of people. The benefit of statins for people who have already had a heart attack or stroke is well established – it reduces the risk of further events.In healthy people Nice guidance recommends statins for people with a 20% or greater 10-year risk of developing heart disease. Doctors assess that risk using algorithms that include data on smoking, weight, diabetes, blood pressure, glucose and cholesterol levels. It's the use of statins for people with lower risk of heart disease that's controversial.The Lancet editorial suppo...
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