- STATINS

Statins are drugs which lower the level of cholesterol in your blood. There are different types of statins but they all work in the same way.

How do statins work
Statins reduce the production of cholesterol by the liver. In particular, they reduce the production of 'bad' cholesterol called low density lipoprotein (LDL).

If you have a high amount of LDL cholesterol in your blood, it can form fatty deposits in the lining of your arteries (blood vessels). This causes furring and narrowing of the arteries, known as atherosclerosis, which in turn restricts the blood flow and can increase your risk of having heart disease or a stroke.

The liver makes most of your body's cholesterol at night. For this reason, it is recommended that many statins are taken in the evening so the amount of statin in your body will be highest when the liver is producing the most cholesterol.

There are several different statins, names include:
atorvastatin (brand name Lipitor)
simvastatin (brand name Zocor)
pravastatin (brand name Lipostat)
rosuvastatin (brand name Crestor

Side Effects
Most people who take a statin have no side-effects, or only minor ones. Read the information leaflet that comes with your particular brand for a full list of possible side-effects.
These include: headache, pins and needles, abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhoea, feeling sick, and a rash.
• Tell your doctor if you have any unexpected muscle pains, tenderness, cramps or weakness. This is because a rare side-effect of statins due to muscle inflammation.
• Do not eat grapefruit or drink grapefruit juice if you are taking a statin. A chemical in grapefruit can increase the level of statin in the bloodstream which can make side-effects from the statin more likely.
• Various other drugs that you may take may interfere with statin drugs. For example, some antibiotics and ciclosporin. The doses of either the statin or the other interacting drug may need to be adjusted. Therefore, if you are prescribed (or buy) another drug, remind the doctor or pharmacist that you are on a statin in case it is one where an interaction may be possible.

How else can I lower my cholesterol
You can also lower your cholesterol by:
• Eating a healthy balanced diet
• Maintaining a healthy weight and body shape
• Doing regular physical exercise (30minutes a day at least 3 times a week)

Taken from the Heart Failure Newsletter No12