Articles
Statins: Are these cholesterol-lowering drugs right for you?
New cholesterol guidelines
Lifestyle is still key for preventing heart disease
The side effects of statins
What other benefits do statins have?
Content
Should you be on a statin?
Risk assessment tools
Cholesterol guidelines
Healthy lifestyle is still key for preventing heart disease
Consider statins a lifelong commitment
Side effects of statins
Weighing the risks and benefits of statins
Healthy lifestyle is still key for preventing heart disease
Lifestyle changes are key for reducing your risk of heart disease, whether you take a statin or not. To reduce your risk:
- Quit smoking and avoid secondhand smoke
- Eat a healthy diet rich in vegetables, fruits, fish and whole grains and low in saturated fat, trans fat, refined carbohydrates and salt
- Be physically active more often and sit less
- Maintain a healthy weight
If your cholesterol — particularly the LDL ("bad") type — stays high after you make healthy lifestyle changes, statins might be an option for you.
