Statin, << STAT ihn, >> is any one of a class of drugs used to lower cholesterol levels in the blood. Cholesterol is a waxy, fatty substance found in animal tissues and the food that comes from them. The substance is also produced in the liver. High levels of cholesterol in the blood increase a person’s risk of coronary artery disease (CAD). Statins help prevent CAD by lowering the amount of cholesterol in the blood. This effect helps reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke caused by CAD.
Statins work by inhibiting (preventing) the action of an enzyme called HMG-coA reductase. This enzyme is necessary for the production of cholesterol in the liver. When statins inhibit the action of the enzyme, the liver takes cholesterol from the blood to make up for the decreased cholesterol production. As a result, the level of cholesterol in the blood falls.
Side effects of statins, such as headache or abdominal pain, are uncommon and usually mild. However, a small number of people develop a severe condition called rhabdomyolysis after taking statins. This condition causes muscle cells to break down and cause damage to the kidneys. The side effects cease when people stop taking the drugs.
See also Cholesterol ; Heart (Coronary artery disease) .
