Triumph of the Heart: The Story of Statins

Abstract

Although scientists are still searching for cures to many diseases, a giant step forward in the treatment of coronary artery disease (CAD) was made in the late 20th century with the discovery of the statins. This book brings it all back into focus, with an emphasis on the science, as well as the dedication of the scientists. The author, Jie Jack Li, has produced a knowledge tree relating the discoveries of cholesterol, the link found between cholesterol and CAD, ending with the statin family of medicines.It may come as a surprise to many recent graduates, but those of us who have a few years of practice behind us will remember that as recently as the 1980s, there was debate in the medical community about whether cholesterol was really a cause of CAD. In fact, results of the Coronary Primary Prevention Trial conducted from 1973 to 1983 were the first to conclude that lowering low-density-lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and total blood cholesterol can reduce the incidence of CAD and heart attacks in men at high risk. Diet and drugs available before the emergence of statins were only moderately able to affect the cholesterol levels of patients. Once the statins reached the market, cholesterol levels in some patients were decreased by as much as 45%; thus, the era of preventive cardiology began.