AHA Issues Reminder  On Taking Statins

WALLINGFORD — The American Heart Association reminds consumers that the cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins may not be taken without a physician’s prescription in the United States. The drugs are not currently available for over-the-counter sales in this country.

Starting in July, the United Kingdom will become the first country to sell a cholesterol-reducing drug over-the-counter.

Statins have been demonstrated to be highly effective in the prevention and treatment of coronary heart disease, and the American Heart Association recognizes that there may be a substantial benefit for the public in making these drugs more easily available. The association feels, however, that there must be sufficient research on the safety and efficacy of the over-the-counter approach to determine whether the FDA should support allowing low-dose statins to be obtained without a prescription.

“These drugs have very positive effects, and there are certainly many individuals not taking them at present who could benefit,” said Robert H. Eckel, MD, chairman of the American Heart Association Council on Nutrition, Physical Activity and Metabolism, and professor of medicine at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center.

“But patients need to know whether the dose of a statin they are taking is sufficient to provide that benefit,” Dr Eckel said. “This is currently assured by their health care provider, who can adjust the dose if needed, and work to bring the cholesterol levels into the optimal range. Patients who try to adjust doses of over-the-counter medications by themselves may either miss the full benefit or could potentially take excessive doses. There are also potential side effects of cholesterol-lowering drugs, as there are of all medications, and while these are exceedingly rare, patients need to be aware of them and of the potential for drug interactions.”

The American Heart Association emphasizes that individuals taking statins by prescription now should continue them under the supervision of their health care provider, with monitoring to be sure they are achieving their cholesterol goals and that the rare potential side effects are being avoided.

For more information on heart disease and stroke, visit the American Heart Association’s website at www.americanheart.org.