Open AccessCurrent perspectives on lipid lowering with statins to decrease risk of cardiovascular disease
Author(s) -
Hennekens Charles H.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
clinical cardiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.263
H-Index - 72
eISSN - 1932-8737
pISSN - 0160-9289
DOI - 10.1002/clc.4960240703
Subject(s) - medicine , myocardial infarction , disease , stroke (engine) , risk factor , incidence (geometry) , intensive care medicine , mechanical engineering , physics , optics , engineering
Although guidelines for individual risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) assist the healthcare provider, management of the global risk profile of patients is the optimal means to minimize risk. Regardless of whether patients have one or more risk factors, elevated lipid values are generally considered to be a major contributor to global CVD risk. Therefore, reduction of lipid levels is one of the most effective methods to reduce risk of CVD. The 3‐hydroxy‐3‐methylglutaryl‐coenzyme A reductase inhibitor class of drugs (also known as statins) has documented clinical benefits for reducing the incidence of myocardial infarction, stroke, death from CVD, and total death. Despite widespread acknowledgment of the very favorable benefit‐to‐risk ratio of the statins, most at‐risk patients either are not being treated or are not at the goals defined by the National Cholesterol Education Program.