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Cholesterol and other fats in the blood can block blood vessels in the heart or brain, causing a heart attack or stroke. Statins are medicines that lower the risk of heart attack and stroke by helping to lower the amount of cholesterol and other fats in the blood.
Experts recommend that if you’ve never had a heart attack or stroke, you take a statin if all 3 of these are true for you:
Statins aren’t right for everyone, and all medicines have pros and cons. When you talk with your doctor about taking a statin, it’s important to discuss your personal preferences as well as your risk for heart attack and stroke.
When you visit the doctor, it helps to have questions ready ahead of time. You can also ask a family member or friend to go with you to take notes.
Consider taking this list of questions to your next appointment:
If your doctor recommends that you take a statin, you might want to ask these questions, too: