Statin
Class of drugs to lower cholesterol / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Statins (or HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors) are a class of medications that reduce illness and mortality in people who are at high risk of cardiovascular disease. They are the most commonly prescribed cholesterol-lowering drugs.[1]
Statin | |
---|---|
Drug class | |
Class identifiers | |
Synonyms | HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors |
Use | High cholesterol |
ATC code | C10AA |
Biological target | HMG-CoA reductase |
Clinical data | |
Drugs.com | Drug Classes |
External links | |
MeSH | D019161 |
Legal status | |
In Wikidata |
Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) carriers of cholesterol play a key role in the development of atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease via the mechanisms described by the lipid hypothesis. As lipid-lowering medications, statins are effective in lowering LDL cholesterol; they are widely used for primary prevention in people at high risk of cardiovascular disease, as well as in secondary prevention for those who have developed cardiovascular disease.[2][3][4]
Side effects of statins include muscle pain, increased risk of diabetes, and abnormal blood levels of certain liver enzymes.[5] Additionally, they have rare but severe adverse effects, particularly muscle damage, and very rarely rhabdomyolysis.[6][7]
They act by inhibiting the enzyme HMG-CoA reductase, which plays a central role in the production of cholesterol. High cholesterol levels have been associated with cardiovascular disease.[8]
There are various forms of statins, some of which include atorvastatin, fluvastatin, lovastatin, pitavastatin, pravastatin, rosuvastatin, and simvastatin.[9] Combination preparations of a statin and another agent, such as ezetimibe/simvastatin, are also available. The class is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines with simvastatin being the listed medicine.[10] In 2005, sales were estimated at US$18.7 billion in the United States.[11] The best-selling statin is atorvastatin, also known as Lipitor, which in 2003 became the best-selling pharmaceutical in history.[12] The manufacturer Pfizer reported sales of US$12.4 billion in 2008.[13]
Patient compliance with statin usage has been problematic for many medical practitioners, despite robust evidence of the benefits to the majority of patients.[14][15]