October 5, 2015
Treatment guidelines suggest that nearly half of those over age 40 — nearly 50 million people in the United States — at least consider a cholesterol-lowering statin to reduce heart attack risk.
But a new large study of people who had an inexpensive heart scan found that half of those who were statin candidates had no signs of plaque in their heart and very little chance of having a heart attack in the next decade.
Some cardiologists say the results could go a long way toward helping patients make a more informed choice about whether to begin taking the drugs.