What are statins? Statins (drugs): names

Statins are drugs that can only be prescribed by a doctor and only after a series of blood tests that determine cholesterol. In such cases, their main goal is to protect the cardiovascular system from diseases and acquired pathologies. When prescribing drugs, the attending physician is obliged to consult the patient on the following items:

• statins - what is it;
• a complex of side effects from taking drugs.

The doctor also conducts a conversation on the topic that statins must be taken continuously. Only under this condition they truly protect the heart and blood vessels and have a pronounced therapeutic effect.

The concept of cholesterol

Cholesterol is a naturally occurring lipid: 80 percent is synthesized by the liver, and 20 enter the body with food. The role of cholesterol in the proper functioning of the body is quite important: it is one of the building materials at the cellular level, it activates metabolic processes, protects cells from the effects of negative factors, and is involved in the production of bile acid and sex hormones. Cholesterol is "good" and "bad." And from a medical point of view, this classification is as follows:

• HDL - high density lipoproteins. People with high blood cholesterol are not prone to heart disease. Excess HDL is transported back to the liver, where it undergoes synthesis, so it does not collect into cholesterol plaques and does not pose a health hazard. In this case, taking statins is not necessary, because the body works smoothly and smoothly.
• LDL - low density lipoproteins. They carry the main danger to the body when they combine into cholesterol plaques. What is the danger of this
  phenomena? Atherosclerotic deposits that settle inside the vessels (on the walls) clog them, thereby disrupting blood flow. This leads to oxygen starvation, strokes, heart attacks.

What are statins?

In the twentieth century, atherosclerosis was recognized as one of the leading causes of death, because it is he who causes myocardial infarction and strokes. For a long time, the opinion of doctors was wrong that atherosclerosis is an irreversible and natural process of aging. The discovery of statins was a revolution in the world of medicine: they had powerful cholesterol-lowering properties. The results of the study, which were conducted over 5 years, were the following indicators:

• A decrease in LDL (bad cholesterol) by 35%.
• An increase in HDL (good cholesterol) by 8%.
• Reduction of strokes by 30% and myocardial infarction by 42%.

Statins are drugs that accelerate and regulate the synthesis of cholesterol in the body, reduce its concentration by inhibiting GMK-CoA reductase.

Who is prescribed statins

According to studies, after taking the drugs, there was a positive trend in patients suffering from chronic coronary heart disease. There is no evidence that there is a positive effect of statins in other pathologies and diseases. But these funds are not only therapeutic, but also preventive. Since statins are drugs that lower cholesterol, they are prescribed to people in these categories:

• Persons with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia that cannot be treated with lipid-lowering drugs.
• Patients suffering from coronary heart disease, regardless of cholesterol.
• Patients who have had a heart attack, as well as suffering from angina pectoris.
• Patients with coronary syndrome.
• Diabetics to adjust blood cholesterol.
• Patients suffering from hypertension belonging to the risk group for cardiovascular diseases.
• Patients suffering from atherosclerotic vascular lesions. Such diseases include atherosclerosis of cerebral vessels, lower extremities, renal arteries, as well as the presence of atherosclerotic plaques in the carotid artery.
• Persons who do not suffer from cardiovascular diseases, but with high cholesterol in the blood.

Statins are drugs that are one of the best preventative measures in the fight against diseases of the cardiovascular system. According to statistics, in countries where the level of sales of these drugs is increasing, the mortality rate from diseases associated with high cholesterol in the blood is significantly reduced.

"Pros and cons"

So statins. What is it and how much they are needed - we examined above. But the opinion of doctors about these drugs is mixed. There are reasonable pros and cons regarding these medicines. Despite the fact that advertising slogans promise to rid the population of atherosclerosis and all the ensuing diseases, statins are not always and not in any way useful. Particularly controversial is the question of their reception by older people: firstly, statins are drugs, the price of which is not acceptable for everyone; secondly, side effects can do more harm than good when taking drugs as a prophylactic. Based on the results of clinical trials conducted by various institutions, experts say the following:

• 
  The use of statins as a prophylactic that reduces the risk of heart attack or stroke is really high, but the side effects make doctors think before prescribing them to patients who have not previously experienced heart disease.
• Statins are especially carefully prescribed to people with cataract symptoms or already suffering from this disease. According to statistics, taking drugs increases the risk of developing cataracts by 52%.
• This also applies to older people with diabetes. The use of statins provokes the development of cataracts 5.6 times faster.

But, nevertheless, the latest statins are used in medical practice more often and bring their own benefits. An experienced doctor must consult a patient before prescribing treatment with these drugs on the following issues:

• What are statins?
• What to expect from taking the drugs: the positive aspects of treatment and prevention.
• Side effects and effects of taking the drug.
• How and in what doses to take the drug.

Statins and cholesterol: the reverse side of the coin

A drug-induced decrease in blood cholesterol levels entails a change in other indicators in the body:

• Statins reduce the production of not only cholesterol, but also its predecessor, mevalonate. It is the source of many important substances that perform biological functions in the body. A lack of such substances can lead to other diseases.
• Low cholesterol can be more harmful than high: this leads to an increased risk of cancer, anemia, diseases of the nervous system and liver.
• According to studies conducted in the USA, an increase in cholesterol is triggered by a low magnesium content in the body. Its deficiency leads to angina pectoris, hypertension, the development of diabetes and arrhythmia.
• "Bad" cholesterol is actively involved in tissue repair at the cellular level. Taking statins can suppress this function, leading to myalgia (weakness, swelling, muscle pain) and even muscle dystrophy.

Side effects

The harm of statins during their long-term use is expressed by such side effects:

• Allergic reactions: itching, rash on the skin, urticaria, anaphylaxis, exudative erythema, Lyell's syndrome.
• Digestive system: upset stomach, nausea, vomiting, hepatitis, pancreatitis, jaundice.
• Hematopoietic organs: thrombocytopenia.
• Nervous system: dizziness, paresthesia, amnesia, peripheral neuropathy, general malaise, weakness.
• Musculoskeletal system: cramps, back pain, arthritis, myasitis.
• Metabolic processes: hypoglycemia (lowering blood sugar), the risk of diabetes.

Prolonged use of statins can lead to insomnia, headaches, impotence, weight gain, or anorexia.

Some principles of choosing statins

If after all the pros and cons, it was decided to prescribe statins, then it is worth considering some features: compatibility with other drugs and the presence of chronic diseases.

• 
  Taking statins with medicines for gout, diabetes and hypertension can double the risk of myopathy.
• In chronic liver diseases, drugs with additional protective functions should be taken. These are rosuvastatin in low doses and pravastatin (Pravaxolum). Together with them, it is strictly forbidden to take antibiotics and alcohol.
• With constant pain in the muscles or with physical exertion, which can provoke damage to muscle tissue, it is advisable to take pravastatin.
• With extreme caution, drugs are prescribed for patients with chronic kidney diseases. It is strictly forbidden to use statins toxic to the kidneys: the name of the fluvastatin preparations is Leskol Forte, atorvastatins are Lipitor.

If the goal of taking statins is to lower low-density cholesterol, then they can be used in combination with nicotinic acid. Ideal remedies are rosuvastatin or atorvastatin.

Common Statin Classification

Relative to their cholesterol lowering activity, statins are divided into 6 groups:

Statins (we list the name of the drugs below) are selected and prescribed by a doctor based on the level of cholesterol in the blood.

Rosuvastatin

The average daily dosage of rosuvastatin is 5-10 mg. For seriously ill patients, in the treatment of familial hypercholesterolemia, the daily dose can reach 40 mg. She is the maximum permissible. The preparation is synthetic.

Pravastatin

The daily norm of pravastatin is 20-40 mg. The maximum allowable dose (80 mg) is not used due to incomplete knowledge of the action. The drug is semi-synthetic.

Atorvastatin

Atorvastatin is a third-generation synthetic drug. Among the statins of his generation is the most effective, for example, is twice as effective as fluvastatin. Initial therapy is recommended with 10-20 mg per day. In the absence of the desired effect, the dosage rises to 40 mg per day. Atorvastatin is also used at a dosage of 80 mg per day for the treatment of patients with acute coronary syndrome. The preparation is synthetic.

Simvastatin

Simvastatin is a semi-synthetic drug that doubles the effectiveness of lovastatin. The initial daily dose is 10-20 mg, in the absence of the desired effect, it can increase to 40 mg. The maximum allowable daily allowance is 80 mg per day.

Fluvastatin

The synthetic drug fluvastatin is prescribed in a dose of 20-40 mg per day, but the optimal dose is 80 mg per day. It is prescribed to patients who receive cytostatics after organ transplantation.

Lovastatin

Lovastatin is the only natural statin. It is obtained from the fungus Aspergillus terreus. The initial dose is 20 mg per day. Used once, at night, after dinner. In some cases, the daily rate is increased to 40 mg per day. Almost not used in medical practice due to the emergence of more modern analogue drugs.