Dr Oz: Reduce Heart Disease Risk + Should You Take A Statin?

Dr Oz: Truth About Statins

If you’re over the age of 40, you’ll want to listen closely. Dr Oz sat down with two world experts on heart health, hoping to find out the truth about statins: cardiologists Dr Holly Andersen and Dr Marc Eisenberg. Dr Andersen explained that the government just came out with new recommendations, saying that those between the ages of 40 and 75 and have a 10% or greater risk of having a heart attack or stroke within the next decade, should be on a statin.

Dr Eisenberg explained that the government felt compelled to release guidelines because one out of three Americans die from a heart attack or stroke. There’s significant data to support that statins prevent those deaths significantly in the same population of people. Dr Oz then revealed the five questions you should ask yourself to help determine whether you should be taking a statin.

Dr Oz: Should You Take A Statin?

1. Do you have high cholesterol?
2. Do you have high blood pressure?
3. Are you diabetic?
4. Do you smoke?
5. Are you 40 years old or older?

If you answered yes to any of the above questions, talk to your doctor about beginning a statin regimen.

Dr Oz then explained that your blood vessels are typically, and should be clear to allow blood to course through. If you need to repair the blood vessel, your body would use cholesterol. A factor like smoking can damage the walls of the blood vessel, thus requiring a repair. But when you add multiple factors, it means there’s more to repair. Cholesterol then comes in to repair the damage by attaching itself to the damaged parts of the vessel.

Dr Oz: Is A Statin Right For You?

It’s most important to find out your numbers so you can know for sure where you are health-wise. If the only risk factor you have is age, continue to stay on top of your health to be sure you stay ahead of the game. If you’re concerned about the side effects of statins, you’re not alone. Side effects can include muscle pain, headaches, and difficulty sleeping. But the truth is that you won’t know the side effects until you’re on it. If you do experience side effects, you can talk to your doctor and switch to another statin, but the plaque stabilization effects have been shown to reduce heart attack and stroke risk by 30-40% of people with risk factors.

Those who shouldn’t take statins are pregnant women, people who have experienced serious side effects from taking a statin in the past, and people with severe liver abnormalities.