THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF STATIN THERAPY FOR DYSLIPIDEMIA

Background: More than three quarters of cases of atherosclerosis are directly caused by abnormalities in lipids profile, which is known as dyslipidemia. Atherosclerosis is considered one of the most causes leading to death around the world. the treatment of dyslipidemia is considered one of the important measures to decrease the risk of cardiovascular events. Effective use of statins leads to improvement in overall mortality and reduce the number of cardiovascular events up to 20%. Methodology: We conducted this review using a comprehensive search of MEDLINE, PubMed, and EMBASE, January 1985, through February 2017. The following search terms were used: statin, hyperlipidemia, advantages of statin therapy, disadvantages of statin therapy, adverse effects of statin therapy, dyslipidemia management Aim: In this review, we aim to study the impact of dyslipidemia, understand statin therapy, and focus on its advantages and disadvantages. Conclusion: Among all proposed therapies, the use of statins has been associated with best outcomes and highest efficacy. Statins have been found by most studies to achieve the best results in reducing the concentrations of LDL cholesterol and hence the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. Statins have been tested and proven efficient on most subpopulations, with different efficacy related to each type of statins. In addition to their high efficacy, statins have a relatively safe profiles with no significant adverse events. The most common adverse events following the treatment of statins is the development of muscle pain or myopathy, which is most likely self-limited and recovers following the cessation of the disease. Other possible adverse events include diabetes mellitus type 2 and the development of hemorrhagic strokes. Keywords: Dyslipidemia, Hyperlipidemia, Statin Therap