Statin medications (Zocor, Lipitor and Pravachol, to name a few) have been available for many years. These medications provide effective tools known to modify cholesterols, decrease inflammation in vessels, reduce heart attacks and prevent early coronary death.
Statin medications decrease cholesterol by stopping the manufacture of cholesterol in the liver. When cholesterol is not produced the total burden of cholesterol is reduced. In addition to this direct effect on cholesterol is the issue of reduced inflammation.
These products are able to decrease markers of inflammation and thus stabilize the cholesterol plaques that are already present. By preventing inflammation and lowering cholesterols the statin mediations decrease the probability of heart attacks and the early death that they produce.
Be good to your heart for Valentine’s Day.
If you have high cholesterol, please discuss the use of statins with your doctor.
