Death V: Anger

Statins: Established, Effective, Cheap, and SafeStatins are a class of drug that lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (the bad kind) by reducing the amount of cholesterol that the liver makes and increasing the rate at which the liver removes LDL from the bloodstream. (LDL content is primarily a function of genetics and dietary saturated fat content, which is unfortunate because we evolved to greatly enjoy foods high in saturated fat, such as butter, full-fat dairy, and red meat.)Statins are readily available and longstanding with research starting around the 1970s and lovastatin being the first to receive FDA approval in 1987. It was quickly followed by a host of other statins after other pharmaceutical companies realized the benefits. There are currently several statins that vary by how aggressively they lower LDL, allowing doctors to choose the best one to match the patient’s medical history, risk factors, and desires. An option for everyone!Statins are incredibly…