Statins and Heart Health: What Older Adults Need to Know

Statins are one of the most commonly prescribed drugs in the United States. In fact, more than 40 million Americans take them. But what are they? And why might you need one? We’ll take a look in this post.

A Quick Look at Cholesterol

Before we talk about statins, we need to talk about cholesterol.

Cholesterol is a type of waxy fat that your body has to have. It helps your body make everything from vitamin D to hormones. About 20% of your body’s cholesterol comes from the food you eat; your liver and intestines make the rest.

Although cholesterol is important, you can have too much of a good thing — and many of us do.

One way cholesterol moves through your body is as low-density lipoprotein (LDL). This “bad” cholesterol can cause atherosclerosis (clogged arteries), which increases your risk of having a heart attack or stroke. On the other hand, “good” cholesterol — high-density lipoprotein (HDL) — helps clean out your arteries.

You may remember when doctors just talked about total cholesterol numbers. Today, they know that several numbers are important. Here’s what heart-healthy cholesterol numbers look like:

• Total cholesterol: under 200

• LDL cholesterol: under 100

• HDL cholesterol: 60 or higher

A simple blood test will show you your numbers. If your total and LDL cholesterol numbers get too high, your ArchWell Health provider will probably talk with you about ways to get those numbers down. Options include lifestyle changes and medications like statins.

A statin prescription is more likely if:

• Your LDL cholesterol number is over 190.

• Your LDL cholesterol number is over 70, you’re 40 to 75 years old, and you have diabetes.

• Your LDL cholesterol number is over 70, you’re 40 to 75 years old, and you have a high risk of heart attack.

• You’ve had a heart attack, stroke, or peripheral artery disease.

How Statins Work

Statins do several things:

• They slow down how much cholesterol your liver makes.

• They boost your liver’s ability to clean out the LDL cholesterol in your bloodstream.

• They can increase your HDL cholesterol.

• They can lower your level of triglycerides. This is a type of fat in your blood that can increase your heart disease risk.

Taken together, those things help keep your arteries unclogged. And that lowers your risk of heart attack and stroke.

Lots of Statins to Choose From

The most common statins are rosuvastatin (Crestor®) and atorvastatin (Lipitor®), but there are plenty of options. Statins come in different forms and dosages, and they come with different instructions about when and how to take them. Your ArchWell Health provider will work with you to find the right medication for your situation.

It’s worth noting that statins are maintenance drugs. That simply means you need to keep taking them until your provider tells you to stop. This is different from, say, an antibiotic you stop taking after a week or two.

If statins don’t work for you — or if you have side effects — other drugs are available. These include cholesterol absorption inhibitors and PCSK9 inhibitors. These drugs can also be taken along with a statin.

Side Effects of Statins

Like most drugs, statins can cause side effects, although they’re not all that common. These can include:

• muscle pain

• liver damage

• increases in blood sugar (which contributes to type 2 diabetes)

• memory loss or confusion

Some of these go away when you stop taking a statin. However, like we said earlier, statins are long-term drugs, so that doesn’t help much. Several factors can increase your risk of side effects though, so keep these in mind as you start the medication:

• Interactions with other drugs (and even grapefruit juice!)

• Being age 80 or older

• Being female

• Having a slight build

• Drinking too much alcohol

• Having kidney disease, liver disease, or other conditions

As always, it’s important to tell your ArchWell Health provider what other medications you’re taking to ensure there are no potential complications or contraindications. That includes prescriptions, over-the-counter drugs, and supplements.

What about Lifestyle Changes?

We mentioned that lifestyle changes can also help in lowering high cholesterol. These include:

• Eating less food that’s high in saturated fat and cholesterol

• Eating more whole grains, nuts, fruits, beans, and oats

• Increasing your physical activity

• Maintaining a healthy weight

You should do these things even if you’re taking a statin – they’ll benefit you in many other ways!

Your ArchWell Health provider, social worker or even our nutritionists can help you get started on these changes. Contact us today to work with our team – we’re here for you!