The main function of statins is to lower blood lipid, and lower cholesterol in the body, especially low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), by inhibiting the synthesis of cholesterol in the liver. Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol is the main risk factor leading to arteriosclerosis and plaque formation, so reducing LDL-C can effectively stabilize plaque, slow down the process of arteriosclerosis, improve inflammatory response, and thus reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
The application of any drug, especially taking a drug for a long time, is based on the balance and evaluation of health benefits and drug use risks. Many patients with cardiovascular diseases have to take aspirin and statins for a long time because once cardiovascular diseases occur, they are often very serious and even fatal. Therefore, if they can take these two drugs for a long time on the premise of ensuring the safety of medication, the health benefits will be enormous. However, if the risk of adverse reactions during taking medicine is far greater than the cardiovascular benefits, or the cardiovascular benefits do not meet our expectations, but the risk of taking medicine is greater, then it is safer than stopping taking medicine.
Start with aspirin. The biggest risk of taking aspirin is the risk of bleeding. Its anti-platelet aggregation function in blood vessels is to reduce the formation of thrombus. But for trauma, including some internal bleeding, such as gastrointestinal bleeding, cerebral hemorrhage, etc., when bleeding occurs, its antiplatelet function is a risk factor, which will make the disease difficult to control and cause great risks. Therefore, the risk of bleeding should be fully evaluated before taking aspirin. For friends who are prone to bleeding but have less risk of cardiovascular disease, it is better not to take this medicine. For those who really need to take it and have digestive tract risks, we should also pay attention to taking drugs to protect gastric mucosa to reduce the risk of gastrointestinal bleeding.