Statins are the drugs of choice for hypercholesterolemia, regulating LDL cholesterol, having antioxidant and anti-inflammatory and anti-thrombotic effects, preventing platelet aggregation, preventing heart attacks, brain attacks and coronary heart disease, and delaying the onset of atherosclerosis.
Studies have shown that statins do more than that, helping to remove junk cells.
Study: Statin may also help cleanse the body of apoptotic cells
A report in Nature suggests that statins don't just remove LDL cholesterol from the cardiovascular system, but also remove junk cells.
The report, published by a Stanford University team, found that statins inhibited cell expression of the signaling protein CD47, promoted phagocytosis by macrophages in atherosclerotic plaques and cleared apoptotic cells, resulting in a significant reduction in lesion size in mice with atherosclerosis.
In addition to this, the team found that statins in patients with atherosclerosis led to a reduction in CD47 expression in apoptotic cells in plaques.
The team tested mice with atherosclerosis and divided them into two groups: group A was treated with statins alone or CD47-SIRPa inhibitors alone, and group B was treated with a combination of drugs. The size of the necrotic core area is closely related to the development of vulnerable plaques and is a driver of acute vascular events, while experiments showed that statins or combination therapy enhanced the proportion of apoptotic cells phagocytosed by macrophages.
The team then used immunofluorescence in an in vitro assay to find that the number of apoptotic vesicles in mouse atherosclerotic plaques was significantly reduced after statins or combination therapy, thus suggesting that statins promote phagocytosis of apoptotic cells by macrophages in plaques.
Are statins really that good?
Although statins have many benefits in the treatment of diseases, they can also cause side effects to the body.
1、Muscle injury
Statins can damage muscle because statins inhibit coenzyme Q10 synthesis, which is involved in energy metabolism as well as cellular respiration, affecting muscle cell membrane integrity and thereby damaging muscle.
The main symptoms are general weakness, fever and muscle aches, which increase the burden on the kidneys and can lead to kidney failure in severe cases. If the creatine kinase value is more than 5 times the upper limit of normal, the drug should be stopped immediately or the dosage should be adjusted under the guidance of a doctor.
2、Increased transaminase level
Statins are metabolized in the liver and therefore can damage the liver, and transaminases should be monitored diligently during drug administration. Once the transaminases exceed three times the upper limit of normal, the drug should be stopped immediately or the dosage should be adjusted to avoid drug-related liver injury.
What tests should be done before and after taking statins?
1、Checking blood lipids
The main effect of statins is to lower the level of bad cholesterol. Take the example of coronary heart disease, the bad cholesterol level is less than 1.8 millimolar only after taking statins. After 3-6 months of medication, if the lipid control is still unsatisfactory, then the dose of medication should be adjusted under the guidance of a doctor.
2、Check creatine kinase
Statins are prone to rhabdomyolysis. Creatine kinase values should be checked before and after use and should be used with caution if creatine kinase values are abnormally high.
Warm Tips
Active liver disease, persistent elevation of aminotransferases that are difficult to explain, both of which are contraindicated by statins. If general weakness, muscle pain, or unexplained fatigue occurs while taking the drug, the drug should be discontinued immediately, and relevant tests should be performed if necessary.
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