Scientists finally uncover why statins can cause muscle pain - Science Daily

Taking a common cholesterol-lowering medication can reduce the risk of a heart attack or stroke for people aged over 70, with a low risk of serious side effects, a world-first clinical trial led by Australian researchers has found. Statins are already commonly prescribed to people under the age of 75 who meet certain risk criteria, such as having diabetes and high cholesterol, to prevent them from having a major heart event such as a heart attack, stroke, or from requiring heart surgery. People who have already had a major heart event are also commonly prescribed the drugs, regardless of their age. What doctors did not know was whether it was safe to prescribe a daily statin to people aged 70 and over who were healthy overall, having never experienced a heart attack, stroke or heart surgery, and whether doing so could prevent these cardiac events. A co-author of the study, Adjunct Prof Mark Nelson with the Monash University school of public health and preventive medicine, said it was an important piece of missing information, because the biggest risk of major heart-related events “is increasing age”.

When is your cholesterol high enough that you need medication? You might expect there to be a simple cut-off. Above this number, you need statins. Below it, you don’t. But doctors don’t just look at your cholesterol in isolation. It’s fed into a formula – alongside variables like your age, blood pressure, medical history and lifestyle – that estimates your overall risk of having a heart attack or stroke in the years ahead. Rewrite the formula slightly and suddenly you could find yourself being offered statins.