Cholesterol Meds May Have Another Benefit

Cholesterol-lowering drugs known as statins have just gotten a new boost from a study called Jupiter. According to the study, statins may also reduce the risk of developing blood clots, which can be deadly if they travel to the lungs. The study is published online at the New England Journal of Medicine.

About the Study:

Jupiter was conducted at multiple centers (1,315 sites) in 26 countries. It was double-blind: the patients and doctors weren’t aware who received the placebo and who received statins. Study subjects didn’t have high cholesterol or histories of heart disease. During the study, 94 participants developed blood clots, and 60 of them were in the placebo group. Only 34 study subjects taking the statins developed a clot.

Study Results:

Healthy people who received the statins (Rosuvastatin known as Crestor) were 43% less likely (compared with placebo group) to develop a blood clot known as venous thromboembolism. Even though the medicine reduced the risk of blood clots, the main goal of the study was to look at reductions in heart attacks, stroke and other heart problems. Jupiter found that heart attacks were reduced by more than half, and angioplasty, stroke, bypass surgery and death were also reduced.

If you have risk factors for blood clots, the study results may be worth discussing with your doctor. However, keep in mind that strong statins like Crestor have known serious side effects in some cases.

Note about the study:
The trial was financially supported by AstraZeneca (makers of Crestor), but they played no role in the conduct of the analyses or drafting of the study manuscript.

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