Cholesterol Statin Drugs Shown to improve Lung Function in asthma patients

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 … Continue reading →