Experts have now issued new recommendations on who should get statin, a popular cholesterol-lowering drugs.
The US Preventive Services Task Force tries to determine who can benefit greatly from statin, which can decrease abnormally high cholesterol levels by at least 25%.
This cholesterol is called low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or "bad cholesterol," since too much of it can cause the buildup of plaque deposits on the arteries, increasing the risk of heart disease.
However, it also has obvious risks including muscle pain. For this reason, statins are not intended for everyone. Based on the recommended guidelines, people who meet certain criteria are the ones who can benefit the most from the treatment.
First, they are men and women who are between 40 and 75 years old with an increased risk of heart disease by 10% or more within the next 10 years. They may also be diagnosed with diabetes, high cholesterol, or blood pressure, which all boost the chances of having cardiovascular disorder.
The American Heart Association (AHA) has a special tool that can be used by doctors to assess risk of heart disease due to high cholesterol. It takes into account age, gender, level of cholesterol, and other factors.
However, existing guidelines also explained that those whose risk is around 7.5% may likely benefit from the treatment, but they would need the help of their physician to make a more informed decision.
Furthermore, young adults who are already showing signs of high cholesterol may benefit more with exercise and a proper diet as a way of lowering their levels. So far, there's no direct evidence that shows statins are helpful for people who are more than 75 years old.
The recent recommendation came after a controversial 2013 guideline, which would have meant more people might have to be prescribed of the drug.