Clinical efficacy and safety of statins in managing cardiovascular risk

Since their introduction in the 1980s, 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors (statins) have emerged as the one of the best-selling medication classes to date, with numerous trials demonstrating powerful efficacy in preventing cardiovascular outcomes. As our understanding of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and atherosclerosis continues to grow, the concept of ‘lower is better’ has corresponded with a ‘more is better’ approach to statin-based therapy. This review provides a detailed understanding of the clinical efficacy and safety of statins with a particular emphasis on the third generation drug, rosuvastatin.