Researchers recommend adults over 70 take cholesterol-lowering statins
BOSTON - A new study finds that older adults should consider taking popular cholesterol-lowering medications.
Statins, like atorvastatin sold under the brand name Lipitor, are generally recommended for adults over 40 with risk factors for heart disease, but older adults tend to be less likely to take them than middle-aged adults. Perhaps, as people age they don't want to continue to take a bunch of pills and stop their statins to simplify their medication regimen.
This new study finds that may not be in their best interest. Researchers at the University of Oxford found that lifetime statin use in men and women 70 and older with or without previous cardiovascular disease is both cost-effective and helps seniors live longer and healthier lives.