Posted on: Tuesday, March 5, 2002

Study: Abrupt halting of statins might be dangerous

By Susan Parrott
Associated Press

DALLAS — Hospitalized heart patients who abruptly stop taking cholesterol-lowering drugs suffer a rebound effect that makes them three times more likely to die or have a heart attack than those who stay on the medicine, researchers say.

The German-led study found that patients hospitalized for acute chest pains lose the protective benefits of statin drugs in as little as 24 hours after stopping the medicine.

"The message to physicians is: Don't stop statins," said lead author Christian W. Hamm, director of cardiology at the Kerckhoff Heart Center and professor of medicine and cardiology at the University of Hamburg.

The study looked only at heart patients who needed to be hospitalized. It did not look at what the implications are for healthy patients who stop taking their cholesterol-lowering medicine.

Millions of Americans take statins, which are sold under such brand names as Lipitor, Zocor and Mevacor.

Dr. Sidney Smith, chief science officer for the American Heart Association, said no studies have shown whether the same danger would apply to otherwise healthy people who stop taking statins. But he said patients should not stop without first consulting a doctor.