The statins are a class of
pharmaceuticals that act by
competitively inhibiting 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG CoA)
reductase. The reductase is an
enzyme involved in the liver
cholesterol synthesis.
The drugs are the most potent cholesterol lowering agents (LDL-cholesterol), however, they are less effective than the
fibrates[?] in reducing
triglycerides and raising
HDL-cholesterol[?].
The statins play an important role in primary and secondary prevention
of
ischaemic heart disease and
myocardial infarct.
There is ongoing research for other actions of statins apart from
lipid-lowering for instance - anti-inflammatory or anti-dementive.
The statins are (brand names in coutries other than the US can be different):