When it comes to treatments to lower cholesterol, statins are the most common option. Statins work very well to lower cholesterol numbers, reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke, and don’t cause a lot of side effects. When statins aren’t the right fit for you, your doctor might suggest new cholesterol treatment options.
You and your doctor will work together to find the cholesterol treatment that helps you the most. The right treatment will not only lower your cholesterol numbers, but also your risk for heart attack and stroke.
Dr. Tolani is a cardiologist at Columbia University Irving Medical Center.
References
American Heart Association. (2020). Cholesterol medications.
Grundy, S. M., et al. (2018). 2018 AHA/ACC/AACVPR/AAPA/ABC/ACPM/ADA/AGS/APhA/ASPC/NLA/PCNA guideline on the management of blood cholesterol: A report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Clinical Practice Guidelines. Circulation.
MedlinePlus. (2025). Cholesterol medicines.
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