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Statins for Cardiovascular Health

September 28, 2021, 2:21 pm

Statins for Cardiovascular Health

Statins are drugs that can lower your cholesterol, which can decrease your risk of cardiovascular disease, heart attack and stroke. Sometimes, a statin can still be helpful for you even if you don’t have high cholesterol.

Click here to learn more about cholesterol, plus find free tools and resources from the American Heart Association.

Here are some other risk factors that your doctor might consider when prescribing a statin:

  • Tobacco use
  • Low activity level
  • High blood pressure
  • Diabetes
  • Being overweight
  • Peripheral artery disease (narrow arteries)
  • Family history

Doctors will often prescribe statins for patients who have recently had a cardiovascular procedure or heart attack or are at high risk for cardiovascular problems. And while statins can save lives, some patients stop taking their statin after a while, and this can put them back into a high-risk category.

When prescribed, statin medication should be considered a part of your heart healthy lifestyle, along with tobacco cessation, eating a nutritious diet, getting active, and maintaining a healthy weight.

  • Don’t forget to keep up with cardiovascular screenings if you’re at risk for cardiovascular problems. Most screenings don’t require a referral from your doctor, but let your doctor know if you are interested in being screened.
  • You can take our short quiz to help you determine if you’re at risk for heart disease.
  • Talk to your doctor or visit the Cox Health website for information on common heart and vascular conditions that we can help treat and prevent.

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