
Statins also can benefit otherwise healthy people with elevated LDL cholesterol levels of 160 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) or higher, and those with a 10-year risk of cardiovascular disease at 7.5% or higher. Who needs statins? Anyone who has coronary artery disease or other arterial disease caused by plaque buildup should be on a statin, even if the person has a normal cholesterol profile. Also, statins help prevent plaques from breaking open and releasing chemicals that stimulate blood clot formation, which is the cause of most heart attacks. Statins have anti-inflammatory properties, and inflammation is a known contributor to plaque buildup. High LDL levels can create plaque buildup in the arteries, which can block blood flow, and raise your risk of a heart attack or stroke.īut the benefits of statins go beyond just lowering LDL cholesterol. Statins work to lower the production of low-density lipoproteins (LDL), or "bad" cholesterol, by blocking an enzyme in the liver that helps make cholesterol. "Yet, men who can benefit from statin therapy sometimes avoid it because they misunderstand how the drug works, including the nature and frequency of side effects, as well as the larger role statin therapy can take in managing their longer-term health." The role of statins Randall Zusman, director of the Division of Hypertension at the Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital Heart Center. "Statins have a role in men's health under the right circumstances," says Dr. Still, many people who could benefit from the drug don't take it. Statins have been doing what they do - lowering cholesterol to help prevent cardiovascular disease - for more than three decades. And British Columbia’s Senior Healthcare web page provides information about important health programs.Statins can help men lower their risk of heart attack and stroke, yet many resist them.
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For example, Ontario’s MedsCheck program provides free pharmacist consultations. Your ministry of health also offers health resources in your province or territory. Provides safety alerts, public health advisories, warnings and recalls. Safety and Effectiveness of Generic Drugs.Provides health and medical information for Canadians to maintain and improve their health. Health Canada - Drugs and Health Products You can also learn more about medications at any of these trusted sites. Your healthcare provider or pharmacist are your best sources of information. Talk to your healthcare provider about the most beneficial lifestyle goals for you.
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Learn how to keep your heart healthy with current information and advice from Heart and Stroke Foundation experts. Medication can help you control heart disease and high blood pressure, but it cannot cure it.Ī healthy lifestyle can help you keep medication to a minimum. There are two ways to control and manage your heart health: medication and lifestyle. Tell your healthcare provider if you are having problems. Lowering the dose or switching to a different statin may help.Sore muscles, cramping, or weakness that doesn’t go away.Most people who take statins will not have any side effects. Traditional remedies, such as Chinese medicines.Over-the-counter or natural health products.Tell your healthcare provider and pharmacist about all the medications you are taking. They may even cause other health problems. Some non-prescription and herbal medications can also affect statin medications.

Visit Health Canada to learn more about The Effects of Grapefruit and its Juice on Certain Drugs. You can take Atorvastatin (Lipitor ®) and Rosuvastatin (Crestor ®) in the morning if it is easier.Īvoid grapefruit and grapefruit juice if you are taking:.Statins are taken once a day, usually at night. So statins are usually taken for life, even if your cholesterol levels return to normal limits. If your arteries are clogged with plaque, you will probably take a statin even if your cholesterol is low-to-normal.īe Aware: The anti-plaque effect goes away if you stop taking your statin.Plaque can still form with lower cholesterol levels.High cholesterol is not the only factor in plaque formation.Changes in your cholesterol levels can show how much your statin is helping you.Your healthcare provider may check your cholesterol levels regularly. Their effect on plaque is powerful but slow. They can also prevent existing plaque from getting worse. Statins help stop plaque from forming in your blood vessels. If your prescription isn’t listed, your pharmacist is the best source for more information.

This list doesn’t include every brand name.

This can lower the long-term risk of having a heart attack. Statins help prevent the build-up of plaque in your arteries.
