Blood lipids are normal. Do you need statins? Can I stop taking the medicine? The cardiologist told you that.

Ms. Liu, 55, has been suffering from hyperlipidemia for five or six years. She has been taking statins to lower her blood fat. Last month, she went to check and found that her hyperlipidemia had come down and returned to normal. She asked the doctor if she could reduce the dosage or stop taking drugs. Many patients have consulted this question, so I will talk to you today.

What role does taking statins have in lowering blood lipid?

Statins are the first-line drugs to treat hyperlipidemia at present. Besides regulating blood lipid, it also has the function of preventing cardiovascular diseases. Once the patient's blood lipid is too high, if it is not well controlled for a long time, it will easily lead to cardiovascular diseases such as coronary heart disease, coronary atherosclerosis, stroke and myocardial infarction. Therefore, doctors generally advise patients with hyperlipidemia to take statins for treatment and prevention for a long time.

When can I reduce the dose?

Although statins need to be taken for a long time, some patients can reduce the dose appropriately. If the patient's blood lipid completely returns to normal after taking the medicine, the effect is good, and there are no other complications in the body. In this case, you can consult a doctor and gradually reduce the dose under the guidance of a doctor. It is worth noting that it must be carried out under the guidance of a doctor, and remember not to reduce the dose without authorization.

When can I stop taking medicine when my blood lipid is normal?

For patients with hyperlipidemia, even if their blood lipids return to normal, it is necessary to further test whether their low-density lipoprotein and high-density lipoprotein return to normal. Even if these two items return to normal, doctors still don't advise patients to stop taking drugs, because once patients with hyperlipidemia stop taking drugs, their blood lipids will easily rebound, which will easily lead to aggravation and complications.

Many people are unwilling to take statins for a long time, or are too worried about the side effects of statins. Although statins have some side effects, we can ignore them compared with the harm caused by cardiovascular diseases. At the same time, in addition to insisting on drug abuse, we should also pay attention to control in our lives.