Statins: Do They Have Beneficial Effects Over and Above Their Actions on Lipids?

Dr. Antonio Gotto from Weill Cornell Medical College moderated the topic "Statins: Do they have beneficial effects over and above their actions on lipids?" with Drs. John LaRosa from State University of New York-Downstate Medical Center, and James Reiffel from Columbia University Medical Center participating.

The discussion focused primarily on:

(1) possible additional benefits, or pleiotropic effects, of statins beyond statin monotherapy's primary effect to reduce LDL cholesterol,

(2) the results of the clinical trial JUPITER and the use of statins for prevention,

(3) the use of CRP as a cardiovascular risk factor,

(4) the increased risk of diabetes balanced against cardiovascular benefits,

(5) the impact of statins on atrial fibrillation,

(6) the effectiveness in acute coronary syndrome,

(7) the antioxidant effects of statins, and

(8) the use of omega-3 fish oils.

(Med Roundtable Cardiovasc Ed. 2010;1(2):73-78) ©2010 FoxP2 Media, LLC