Look Who it Was Random video

Broader Statin Use Yielding Results

62 views · Published 21 August 2015 · 1:27 · Indexed 20 October 2026

Channel: Lee Health · 2015 · Science & Technology

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Two years after overhauling statin guidelines, more Americans than ever before are now on cholesterol-lowering drugs. That was expected. 

“They are aiming more to primary prevention and yes this would be inclusive of many more patients even with the previous guidelines,” says Lee Memorial Health System cardiologist, Dr. Brian Taschner. 

The uncertainty - would it pay off? With several years of data, it appears wider statin use may have lead to 63,000 fewer heart related incidents. 

“They are the most proven drugs with the most data behind them that show they actually reduce cardiovascular events such as heart attacks, stroke and cardiovascular death,” says Dr. Taschner. 

New guidelines focus less on cholesterol thresholds and more on calculated risk, creating four categories used to determine amount of medication. The best results went to the group which included people who were considered at-risk for having a heart event within ten years.

“It’s what we call a primary prevention category. So patients that don't have vascular disease, that don’t have diabetes. We’re just trying to prevent a first event from occurring,” says Dr. Taschner. 

Following the formula, doctors hope to keep many more people heart healthy. 

View More Health Matters video segments at leememorial.org/healthmatters/

Lee Memorial Health System in Fort Myers, FL is the largest network of medical care facilities in Southwest Florida and is highly respected for its expertise, innovation and quality of care. For nearly a century, we’ve been providing our community with everything from primary care treatment to highly specialized care services and robotic assisted surgeries.

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