What are statins?

Statins are medicines that help lower cholesterol. They are recommended for people who are at a high risk of cardiovascular disease, like heart attack and stroke.

How do statins work?

Statins lower the level of 'bad' cholesterol (known as low-density lipoprotein or LDL) in your blood.

LDL cholesterol can build up in your blood vessels and block the blood flow to your heart or brain. This can lead to a heart attack or stroke.

Statins also reduce how much cholesterol your liver makes.

When your body needs cholesterol, it takes it from your blood vessels. This helps lower your risk of cardiovascular disease.

Statins are very good at lowering cholesterol in your body.

Who should take statins?

You should take statins if you have a high risk of having a heart attack or stroke.

This includes people who have already had a heart attack or stroke, or who have coronary heart disease.

Not everyone with high cholesterol needs to take statins. It depends on how likely you are to have heart problems.

Your doctor can calculate your risk of cardiovascular disease. Besides high cholesterol, factors that increase your risk include:

• not getting enough exercise
• high blood pressure
• smoking or vaping
• diabetes and kidney disease
• overweight or obesity
• older age
• a family history of heart attack or stroke at a young age

Use the Australian CVD risk calculator to work out your risk.

Your doctor might prescribe statins even if your cholesterol is normal if you have other health risks.

What types of medicines might I be prescribed?

There are different types of statins, including:

• atorvastatin
• pravastatin
• rosuvastatin
• simvastatin

What are the side effects or risks of statins?

Most people who take statins do not have any side effects. If you do have side effects, they are usually mild and go away with time. Serious side effects happen rarely.

Side effects include:

• muscle pain
• changes in liver function tests
• high blood sugar
• indigestion or diarrhoea
• sore throat
• insomnia (not being able to sleep) and nightmares

If you get muscle pain while taking statins, it's likely to go away by itself. If it doesn't, your doctor might suggest a lower dose of your medicine or a different type of statin.

Rarely, statins can cause serious muscle problems, such as rhabdomyolysis.

There's a small chance of developing diabetes if you take statins. However, your statin medicine is more likely to keep you healthy — than to cause diabetes.

Medical evidence shows that if you are at high risk of cardiovascular disease, the benefits of taking a statin are greater than the chance of possible side effects.

If you are taking statins and have any concerns, don't stop taking your medicine. It's important to talk to your doctor or pharmacist before making any changes.

When should I see my doctor?

Talk with your doctor about your cholesterol and your risk of cardiovascular disease if you are aged between:

• 45 to 79 years
• 35 to 79 years — and have diabetes
• 30 to 79 years — if you are Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander

Your doctor will tell you how often you should have a check-up depending on your level of risk.

See your doctor if you have any side effects while taking statins.

Are there any alternatives to this medicine?

To lower your risk of cardiovascular disease, it's important to maintain a healthy lifestyle, as well as taking statins. This includes:

• eating a healthy diet
• maintaining a healthy weight — check your waist circumference
• exercisingregularly
• not smoking or vaping
• avoiding alcohol

Your doctor might also recommend taking a blood pressure medicine.

Some changes to your diet may help lower your cholesterol:

• eat more fibre — fruits, vegetables and wholegrains
• choose low fat dairy products — milk, yoghurt and cheese
• avoid processed foods
• choose healthy fats for cooking — oils from olives, nuts, avocado and seeds

If you have severe side effects from statins, your doctor might prescribe other medicines like ezetimibe. Some people take this together with statins if their cholesterol level stays high.

Resources and support

For more information, see these frequently asked questions about statins.

If you are taking statins and have any concerns, you can call healthdirect on 1800 022 222 (known as NURSE-ON-CALL in Victoria). A registered nurse is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.