Statins are medications that reduce the level of cholesterol in your blood and protect the insides of your arteries. Reducing cholesterol helps lower the risk of developing heart and circulatory diseases, including angina, heart attack and stroke.
What’s on this page?
- What is cholesterol?
- What are statins?
- Why do I need statins?
- How long do I need to take statins for?
- When should I take my statin?
- What should I avoid when taking statins?
- Can I take a statin if I'm pregnant?
- What are the side effects of statins?
- Can I buy statins over the counter?
- How else can I lower my cholesterol?
What is cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a fatty material in your blood which is mainly made in the liver. It plays an important role in how our cells work and helps your body make vitamin D and hormones which keep your bones, teeth and muscles healthy.
Having too much cholesterol can clog your arteries, causing problems like heart disease. There are two main types of cholesterol:
- ‘good cholesterol’ (called high-density lipoproteins or HDL) which take cholesterol you don’t need back to the liver
- ‘bad cholesterol’ (called non-high-density lipoproteins or non-HDL) which can lead to fatty layers building up in your arteries that block the flow of blood to and from the heart. This can increase your risk of getting heart problems.
What are statins?
Statins are medications used to lower the level of cholesterol in the blood and protect the insides of the artery walls. They’re one of the most prescribed drugs in the UK, with an estimated 7-8 million adults taking them.
Lots of people don’t need a strong statin to reduce their cholesterol level. Your GP or cardiologist will find the right statin for you, depending on your medical history and the cholesterol level they want you to aim for.
The different types of statins your doctor might prescribe include:
- atorvastatin (Lipitor)
- fluvastatin (Lescol)
- pravastatin (Lipostat)
- rosuvastatin (Crestor)
- simvastatin (Zocor).
If you feel your statin medication isn’t right for you, speak to your doctor. If you’re sensitive to one statin, you might not be sensitive to another. You should have a blood test after any change of statin to see how well the new medicine is lowering your cholesterol.
Why do I need statins?
Your doctor will look at your cholesterol level and other risk factors for heart and circulatory diseases to find out if you need a statin. You may be given a statin if you:
- have angina or peripheral arterial disease
- have a high risk of developing angina or of having a heart attack or stroke
- have diabetes
- have had a heart attack or stroke
- have had an angioplasty or bypass surgery
- have the inherited condition familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH).
Lifestyle choices, such as whether you eat fatty foods, smoke, drink alcohol and don’t exercise enough increase your chances of having high cholesterol. Even if you’re in good health, you may be prescribed a statin if you’re at high risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
Statins reduce the risk of you getting heart problems for the first time, as well as any symptoms if you already have them so you can live a longer and better life.
If you’ve been taking your statin for a while and your cholesterol level has not come down, your doctor will talk to you about why that is. If your level does not come down through medications and lifestyle changes, then they may change what type of statin you’re on, how much you take or try a different drug.
How long do I need to take statins for?
In most cases, you’ll need to take a statin every day for life. This is because your body will always make cholesterol. If you stop taking a statin, your cholesterol levels will rise again.
This might be difficult to hear, but statins are most beneficial when you take them on a long-term basis. If you make big lifestyle changes or lose a lot of weight, you can discuss with your doctor if coming off statins is right for you.
If you take a statin or another medication to manage your cholesterol levels, you may be asked to get a check-up each year by your GP. During this appointment, you’ll have your cholesterol levels checked, talk about your lifestyle and how taking the medication is going for you.
When should I take my statin?
It’s important to take your medication as prescribed. Your doctor may recommend you take your statin at a certain same time every day as this keeps your blood levels even.
If you forget to take your medication, take your regular dose the next day. Don’t take extra of your medication. If you take too many statins, contact a pharmacist or call NHS 111.
- Top tip – many people take statins before they brush their teeth at night as part of their routine so they don’t forget (it’s also when most of your body’s cholesterol is produced).
Can I get help with paying my prescription?
Medical prescriptions are free in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. They are also free for people in England who meet certain criteria, including people who are:
- under 16 or over 60
- receiving Income Support, JSA, ESA or Universal Credit
- pregnant
- 16-18 and in full-time education
- and/or have certain health conditions, including a continuing disability or diabetes that can't be controlled with diet.
If you aren’t entitled to free prescriptions for your medicines you might be able to save money by buying a Prescription Prepayment Certificate (PPC).
What should I avoid when taking statins?
Taking certain medicines together may affect how well they work. It’s best to check with your doctor or pharmacist before you take any other medications.
If you’re taking simvastatin or atorvastatin, avoid grapefruit and grapefruit juice as they can increase your risk of side effects. If you take another type of statin, limit your intake of grapefruit juice to very small amounts or avoid it altogether.
Drinking more than the recommended weekly amount of alcohol (14 units) increases your risk of feeling more side effects.
Can I take a statin if I'm pregnant?
If you’re pregnant, breastfeeding or planning a pregnancy, you shouldn't take statins. If you’re already taking statins and recently found out you’re pregnant or would like to become pregnant, speak to your GP.
What are the side effects of statins?
Like all medications, statins have potential side effects. The most common are muscular aches and pains, but many people experience no side effects.
A recent BHF-funded research study found that while statins are linked with a small increase in the risk of muscle pains or weakness, they don't cause the majority of muscle pain symptoms commonly connected with them.
Speak to your doctor if your side effects change or become worse. Your doctor might suggest you change statin, lower the dose or stop taking it for a while, then starting again to see if it’s causing your symptoms.
If statins do not help lower your cholesterol or you cannot take them, you might be offered other medications like:
- ezetimibe
- bempedoic acid
- inclisiran.
Find out more about these medications with Heart UK.
Can I buy statins over the counter?
Low-dose statins are available at some pharmacies without a prescription, but they're not a replacement for prescription statins or for making lifestyle changes to reduce your cholesterol level.
If you’re at high risk of heart and circulatory disease, you should have a chat with your GP before buying a statin. You may need to have a statin prescribed for you and the effects watched.
How else can I lower my cholesterol?
If your doctor says you need it, a statin is the best way of lowering your cholesterol. Living a healthy life, whether you're taking a statin or not, is another way of lowering your cholesterol. You can do this by:- drinking less alcohol or not at all – try ordering a diet soft drink or non-alcoholic option
- eating healthier – try cholesterol-lowering foods
- getting active – start moving at the right level for you with these 9 tips
- managing your weight – learn what weight you should be, how to measure it and the changes you can make
- not smoking or using tobacco products.
Lower your cholesterol with our 5 top questions answered by BHF experts.
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Page last updated: August 2022
Next update due: August 2025
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