Millions of American have high cholesterol, which puts them at high risk for many health problems like heart and vascular disease and stroke. A class of drugs called statins has become an important tool for doctors to help their patients manage chronically high levels of cholesterol. But what exactly is a statin, and how does it help lower cholesterol? What are the risks of taking statins and the likely side effects?
Click on the infographic at the right to learn more about statins.
Also, check out the Food and Drug Administration’s page on statins: http://www.fda.gov/forconsumers/consumerupdates/ucm293330.htm
The Medical Minute is a weekly health news feature brought to you by Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. Articles feature the expertise of Penn State Hershey faculty physicians and staff, and are designed to offer timely, relevant health information of interest to a broad audience.