Statins are not only lipid-lowering drugs, but also reduce the area of ​​atherosclerosis! But the usage rate is low!

People with high blood lipids and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases have all heard of statins or are using statins!

(Statins commonly used include: atorvastatin, rosuvastatin, pitavastatin, fluvastatin, simvastatin, lovastatin, pravastatin, etc.)< /p>

But the latest statistics show:

Only 8.0% of statin primary prevention populations are using statins;

Primary prevention, what does it mean? To put it simply, there is no cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease, but it has been assessed that the risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease in the next 10 years is very high, and drugs need to be taken to prevent it.

Only 21.9% of people with secondary prevention indications are using statins.

Secondary prevention, what does it mean? To put it simply, a definite cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease has occurred. In order to prevent further aggravation of the disease, it is prevented by taking drugs, which is called secondary prevention.

Look at people who have developed cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, but only 21.9% of them are taking statins. Most people do not take regular statin treatment, then the disease will worsen and may develop into myocardial infarction, heart failure, cerebral infarction and other diseases.

The China Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry (CAMI) study found:

Only 5.7% of myocardial infarction patients who were in a high-risk group before the onset of myocardial infarction were taking statins.

What do you mean? Among the people who have already experienced myocardial infarction, some of them are high-risk groups themselves, and they are at risk of myocardial infarction, but only 5.7% of the people who take statins are only 5.7%, which is very small.

Many people think that statins are not lipid-lowering drugs?

I don’t have high blood lipids, so I don’t want to take statins, or I don’t feel uncomfortable with high blood lipids, so I don’t want to take statins.

Today I want to tell you that statins are more than just lipid-lowering drugs:

One, statins are lipid-lowering drugs

We know that cholesterol is divided into low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, a bad blood lipid, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, a good blood lipid.

Statins can lower cholesterol or lower LDL cholesterol. Many people know that, but did you know that? Statins can also raise density lipoprotein cholesterol, a good blood lipid.

Bad blood lipids create “vascular garbage”, while good blood lipids clean up “vascular garbage”; you think that statins can reduce bad blood lipids and increase good blood lipids, so statins are not only Lipid-lowering drugs, but lipid-lowering drugs.

Statins regulate blood lipids through this effect, thereby controlling the aggravation of vascular plaques.

Second, anti-inflammatory and stable plaque, preventing plaque rupture

The second effect of statins is to protect blood vessels. Statins can inhibit the inflammatory response of the vascular endothelium, thereby reducing the risk of atherosclerosis. At the same time, statin can stabilize vascular plaque, prevent the rapid growth of vascular plaque, and can also stabilize plaque, prevent plaque rupture, and thus prevent thrombosis.

So for patients with definite unstable plaques or relatively definite plaques, even if LDL cholesterol is not high, long-term statins need to be taken to protect blood vessels and prevent myocardial infarction and cerebral infarction.

Third, clean up apoptotic cells and reduce the area of ​​atherosclerosis

The latest “Nature” journal published a study that pointed out that statins not only clean up “bad” cholesterol in the cardiovascular system, but also help to clean up “junk” cells.

Studies have shown that the plaques in our blood vessels are not only formed by the accumulation of lipid-like substances, but a large number of apoptotic cells in the blood vessels will also accumulate on the inner walls of the blood vessels and plaques. Thus participating in the formation and development of atherosclerosis.

A large number of apoptotic cells in the cardiovascular system are not cleared and accumulated, which can cause inflammation, disrupt tissue homeostasis, and then form and aggravate atherosclerotic plaques, leading to cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.

Studies have found that the use of statins significantly reduces the number of apoptotic bodies in atherosclerotic plaques, that is, they can clean up these apoptotic “garbage” cells, thereby reducing their size. The role of atherosclerosis!

These effects of statins have only one purpose, which is to prevent the occurrence and development of atherosclerosis, prevent the appearance and growth of plaques, prevent cardiovascular stenosis, and prevent and control cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. That is to say, protect the blood vessels.

Therefore, whether it is a patient with high cholesterol, a patient with plaque, or a patient with established cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, be sure to find a professional doctor to evaluate yourself Do you need to take statins, how many doses, how long to take, and how to prevent and avoid side effects when taking them.