8 Key Facts About Statins and Cholesterol

Statins can help lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart attacks, stroke and other heart and vascular problems. But they aren’t right for all patients, and they can rarely cause side effects. Cardiologist Melissa Tracy answers patients’ most frequently asked questions about statins.

Can Taking Statins After a Bleeding Stroke Lower Risk of Another Stroke?

People who have had a stroke called an intracerebral hemorrhage who take cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins may have a lower risk of having another stroke, especially ischemic stroke, compared to people who also had an intracerebral hemorrhage but were not taking statins, according to a new study published in the August 30, 2023, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

April Research Highlights

This tipsheet highlights the latest medical discoveries and faculty news at Cedars-Sinai. Links to full news releases are included with each item.

Statins Likely Not Helpful In Reducing Covid-19 Mortality or Severity

Findings from a recent Johns Hopkins Medicine-led study of nearly 4,500 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 over a four-month period provide a stronger case for a very different conclusion: Statins likely did not confer any impact — positive or negative — on COVID-related mortality and may be associated with an significantly increased risk — nearly 1 chance in 5 — of more serious illness.

January Issue of The American Journal of Gastroenterology Includes New Clinical Guideline on Irritable Bowel Syndrome

The January issue of The American Journal of Gastroenterology is now available and features new clinical research across a wide range of GI and hepatology topics, including NAFLD, colorectal cancer screening, GERD, post-COVID-19-associated functional GI disorder surges, celiac disease, and more.

Statins Reduce COVID-19 Severity, Likely by Removing Cholesterol That Virus Uses to Infect

Analyzing anonymized patient medical records, UC San Diego researchers discovered that cholesterol-lowering statins reduced risk of severe COVID-19 infection, while lab experiments uncovered a cellular mechanism that helps explain why.

15-Year Study Finds Treatment Gaps Exist for Patients with Peripheral Arterial Disease; More Consistent Use of Life-Saving Medications Recommended

A new 15-year study by researchers at the Intermountain Healthcare Heart Institute in Salt Lake City found that patients with peripheral arterial disease may not be prescribed life-saving medications at the same rate as for other heart conditions.