Millions of Americans take daily medication to treat their high cholesterol, and most of those are from a medication class called “statins.” These statin drugs have been shown to reduce cholesterol scores significantly, and keep many people with high cholesterol and heart disease alive. They could also have an additional positive side effect for those patients who also have asthma according to a recent study. The study (which was very small, with just 70 participants) suggests that the statin drugs are responsible for an increase in lung function in those patients with asthma symptoms.
Statins possess anti-inflammatory properties, and have been shown to reduce inflammation in the lungs. Coupled by the fact that a third of all people with asthma also have high cholesterol, it “is extremely attractive and worthy of further study” according to William Busse, MD, chair of the department of medicine at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health.
Keep your eye out for additional, larger studies to be done over the coming years with more conclusive results. Until then, ask your doctor if you think statin therapy may be right for you.
