{"product_id":"statins-in-young-adults-is-early-treatment-ready-for-prime-time","title":"Statins in Young Adults: Is Early Treatment Ready for Prime Time?","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis expert commentary from the \u003cem\u003eJournal of the American College of Cardiology\u003c\/em\u003e tackles a controversial question: should healthy young adults start taking statin medications to prevent heart disease decades before it would typically develop? While accumulating evidence suggests that early cholesterol control could dramatically reduce future heart attacks, the authors emphasize major uncertainties about long-term benefits, safety risks, and costs. They call for careful, incremental changes to prescribing guidelines rather than a sweeping expansion of statin use in young people.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch1\u003eStatins in Young Adults: Is Early Treatment Ready for Prime Time?\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eTable of Contents\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"#ddn-key-points\"\u003eKey Points\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\n  \u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"#background\"\u003eBackground: Why This Debate Matters\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"#case-for\"\u003eThe Case for Starting Statins Early\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"#uncertain-benefits\"\u003eUncertain Benefits: What We Still Don't Know\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"#uncertain-harms\"\u003eUncertain Harms: Potential Risks of Lifelong Statin Use\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"#uncertain-costs\"\u003eUncertain Costs: Is This Affordable Medicine?\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"#bottom-line\"\u003eThe Bottom Line: What Should Patients Know?\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"#limitations\"\u003eStudy Limitations\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"#ddn-faq\"\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"#source\"\u003eSource Information\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003c!-- ddn:keypoints:start --\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"ddn-key-points\"\u003eKey Points\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCurrent guidelines recommend statins for young adults only if LDL stays very high after lifestyle changes.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEarly statin use might prevent plaque buildup, but no long-term trials prove it prevents heart attacks decades later.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRare serious statin risks include rhabdomyolysis, myopathy, neuropathy, and a small increased diabetes risk.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIf diabetes risk accumulates over 50 years, excess risk could approach 5%, meaning one extra case per 21 treated.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExperts recommend incremental guideline expansion to high-risk 30-year-olds, not broad use in low-risk young adults.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c!-- ddn:keypoints:end --\u003e\n\n\n\u003ch2 id=\"background\"\u003eBackground: Why This Debate Matters\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHeart disease remains the nation's leading killer, and cholesterol — specifically low-density lipoprotein (LDL), the \"bad\" cholesterol — is a major culprit. But when should treatment begin?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eCurrently, young adults under 35 years of age who do not have an exceedingly rare genetic disorder such as familial hypercholesterolemia are at very low short-term risk for coronary heart disease (CHD). The 5- to 10-year risk of having a heart attack or dying from heart disease in this age group is minimal.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBecause of this low short-term risk, current guidelines from the National Cholesterol Education Program's Adult Treatment Panel are conservative. They recommend drug therapy with statins for young adults \u003cstrong\u003eonly if cholesterol levels remain very high after a trial of lifestyle modification\u003c\/strong\u003e — meaning diet, exercise, and weight management are tried first.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBut this issue of the \u003cem\u003eJournal of the American College of Cardiology\u003c\/em\u003e features two companion articles by Steinberg and Forrester that press for earlier and more aggressive treatment with statins, particularly for young adults with high lifetime risk. Their reasoning rests on three pillars:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eAtherosclerotic (plaque) damage to coronary arteries from nonoptimal lipid levels starts accumulating early in life — even in childhood and young adulthood.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eThis damage could be prevented or slowed with statin therapy.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003ePreventing the accumulation of atherosclerotic damage should lead to much lower rates of cardiovascular disease later in life.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ol\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis \"cumulative damage hypothesis\" is compelling. But the authors of this commentary, Drs. Mark Pletcher and Stephen Hulley from the University of California, San Francisco, warn that expanding statin therapy to include millions of healthy young adults is a \u003cstrong\u003e\"high-stakes proposition\"\u003c\/strong\u003e that requires careful examination of the potential benefits, harms, and costs.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2 id=\"case-for\"\u003eThe Case for Starting Statins Early\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSeveral lines of evidence support the idea that earlier cholesterol control could provide dramatic protection against future heart disease.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe \"20% to 40%\" problem.\u003c\/strong\u003e When statins are started in middle-aged and older adults, they reduce the risk of heart attack and other CHD events by only 20% to 40% compared with placebo in randomized, blinded trials. That's meaningful, but far from complete protection. Why isn't it better? By the time most people start statins in their 50s or 60s, decades of atherosclerotic damage have already accumulated.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe genetic \"experiment of nature.\"\u003c\/strong\u003e In striking contrast, people with genetic variations in the \u003cem\u003epro-protein convertase subtilisin\/kexin type 9\u003c\/em\u003e (PCSK9) gene — a gene that controls expression of the LDL particle receptor — have naturally low LDL cholesterol levels throughout their entire lives. These individuals experience an \u003cstrong\u003e88% relative risk reduction\u003c\/strong\u003e in coronary heart disease. That's nearly total protection, achieved simply through lifelong low LDL exposure. This suggests that reducing lifelong cumulative exposure to LDL via statins started early in life might provide far more complete protection than the partial benefit seen when treatment begins later.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe CARDIA study.\u003c\/strong\u003e The authors' own research from the CARDIA (Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults) cohort shows a very low prevalence of coronary calcium — a marker of atherosclerosis — in middle-aged people who have maintained low LDL cholesterol levels since they were in their twenties. This finding directly supports the notion that keeping LDL low from a young age prevents plaque buildup.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStatins can halt existing disease.\u003c\/strong\u003e Additional evidence shows that statins can arrest and even reverse atherosclerosis in middle-aged and older populations, and they clearly reduce atherosclerotic disease early in life in specific settings, such as children with familial hypercholesterolemia.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2 id=\"uncertain-benefits\"\u003eUncertain Benefits: What We Still Don't Know\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDespite the compelling logic, there is \u003cstrong\u003eno hard evidence from long-term randomized trials\u003c\/strong\u003e demonstrating that starting statins in young adulthood actually prevents heart attacks decades later. And there are several reasons to be cautious.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eStatin benefits may not equal genetic benefits\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStatin-mediated LDL reduction may not be equivalent to genetically mediated LDL reduction. When statins are started in middle-aged and older populations, CHD event prevention begins quickly — within 1 to 2 years of starting therapy. This rapid effect suggests that part of statin efficacy comes from \u003cstrong\u003eplaque stabilization, anti-inflammatory effects, and other short-term \"pleiotropic\" mechanisms\u003c\/strong\u003e that are not directly related to halting the long-term progression of atherosclerosis. To the extent that these short-term, non-atherosclerotic mechanisms drive statin benefits, early treatment may not provide the expected degree of benefit compared with waiting until later in life, when CHD events usually begin to occur.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eStarting at 30 might be too late\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe suggestion to start statins at age 30 may not be early enough. Atherosclerotic changes are evident very early in life — studies like the Bogalusa Heart Study have documented early plaque formation in children and young adults. After three decades of exposure to nonoptimal LDL levels, initiating statin therapy at age 30 might provide only modest incremental improvement in atherosclerosis reduction and long-term CHD event protection.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eThe adherence problem\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEven if guidelines recommend statins for young adults, will people actually take them? Two major barriers stand in the way. Physicians often fail to follow prescribing guidelines, and patients frequently fail to take their medications as prescribed. These are substantial problems even among older adults at high risk, and the situation is worse at younger ages. The same problem has been documented with efforts to control hypertension (high blood pressure) in young adults.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe authors note that mounting efforts to improve adherence to existing guidelines for patients at moderate to high short-term risk is probably a more efficient, immediate, and noncontroversial public health strategy than expanding prescribing guidelines into younger age groups — although the two approaches are not mutually exclusive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2 id=\"uncertain-harms\"\u003eUncertain Harms: Potential Risks of Lifelong Statin Use\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eStatins are relatively safe medications and only occasionally cause side effects. But \"relatively safe\" over a decade of use is different from \"safe\" over 5 or 6 decades of continuous use starting in early adulthood.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eKnown side effects and their rates\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHere is what is currently known about statin side effects, based on large observational and post-marketing studies of middle-aged and older adults:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eRhabdomyolysis\u003c\/strong\u003e (severe muscle breakdown that can cause kidney failure): The most serious side effect, although exceedingly rare. It occurs at a rate of \u003cstrong\u003e3 to 4 per 100,000 person-years\u003c\/strong\u003e of treatment, with \u003cstrong\u003e10% of cases being fatal\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eClinically significant myopathy\u003c\/strong\u003e (muscle pain or weakness accompanied by elevated creatine kinase levels): Occurs at an excess rate of about \u003cstrong\u003e11 per 100,000 person-years\u003c\/strong\u003e in statin users.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMinor muscle pain (myalgia)\u003c\/strong\u003e: Commonly reported by statin users, but notably, this symptom appears to be just as common in people randomized to placebo as in those randomized to statins in controlled trials — meaning the \"muscle aches\" may partly reflect what people expect to feel, not what the drug actually does.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eElevated liver enzymes\u003c\/strong\u003e: Persistently elevated serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT, a marker of liver stress) occur at an excess rate of about \u003cstrong\u003e70 per 100,000 person-years\u003c\/strong\u003e. However, no firm evidence links statin use to liver damage, and rates of liver failure in statin users are indistinguishable from background rates in the general population.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePeripheral neuropathy\u003c\/strong\u003e (nerve damage causing numbness or tingling in the hands and feet): Reported at a rate of \u003cstrong\u003e12 per 100,000 person-years\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eDiabetes risk: a new concern\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA surprising new finding is the significant increase in diabetes incidence associated with statin use. A meta-analysis of randomized trials found an excess rate of about \u003cstrong\u003e1 in 255 persons taking statins for 4 years\u003c\/strong\u003e developed new-onset diabetes. While this risk is small, the concern is what happens over a lifetime.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHere is the alarming math: if diabetes risk continues to accrue at the same rate (about 1 per 1,000 person-years of treatment), then the excess cumulative risk for diabetes after 50 years of treatment — for example, from age 30 to 80 — would approach \u003cstrong\u003e5%\u003c\/strong\u003e. That translates to a \u003cstrong\u003enumber needed to harm of about 21\u003c\/strong\u003e, meaning one extra case of diabetes for every 21 people treated for 5 decades.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSimilarly, if the annual rate of statin-associated rhabdomyolysis does not decrease after the first few years but instead continues unabated or even increases with longer-term exposure, treatment over several decades could produce a much higher cumulative risk for this life-threatening condition than we currently see in routine practice.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWhat about cancer, depression, and suicide?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEarly concerns about increased rates of cancer, suicide, or depression associated with low cholesterol levels or statin use have \u003cstrong\u003enot been substantiated\u003c\/strong\u003e by large meta-analyses, longer-term follow-up (10 years) from several clinical trials, and other recent studies. This is reassuring news.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eSpecial considerations for young adults\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere is no known reason why statins should be more toxic in young adults than in older adults. But young adults are physiologically different. It would not be surprising if myopathy or minor muscle pain turned out to be more common in younger patients, or if young adults were susceptible to some yet-undiscovered adverse effect.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWomen of childbearing age\u003c\/strong\u003e face a unique concern. Statins are not considered safe to take during pregnancy or breastfeeding. This complicates any effort to extend statin prescribing to young women who may become pregnant, and it requires careful counseling about contraception for women who start statins in their 20s or 30s.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eThe quality-of-life question\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTaking a statin every day for many decades may also affect self-image by \"labeling\" a person as less than healthy. It could induce excessive worry about future heart disease, or otherwise dampen quality of life. This is likely to be especially important for young adults who might otherwise have no regular contact with the medical world.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhen substantial levels of this \"disutility\" (a term researchers use for the negative value placed on being on daily medication) are present and persistent, they can outweigh the benefits of statin therapy — benefits that are remote in time and therefore subject to \"discounting\" (the psychological tendency to value current experiences more highly than distant future events). The good news is that disutility may wane over time as patients become accustomed to taking a pill daily, and education about the real benefits of statins can substantially reduce — or even reverse — this effect.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2 id=\"uncertain-costs\"\u003eUncertain Costs: Is This Affordable Medicine?\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWith the increased availability of low-cost generic formulations, the cost of statins has become less of a limiting factor — but questions remain.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOne cost-effectiveness analysis found that treating all persons age 35 years and older with LDL levels of 130 mg\/dl or higher would become \u003cstrong\u003ecost-saving\u003c\/strong\u003e (meaning the savings from prevented heart attacks and related care would outweigh the cost of the medication) when the price of statins falls to \u003cstrong\u003e$0.10 or less per pill\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePer-pill costs in this range are currently available through large discount retail chains. However, prices at traditional retail pharmacies are often substantially higher, even for generic formulations.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSeveral scenarios could make a major initiative to prescribe statins to low-risk young adults expensive and not cost-effective:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eIf very low statin prices cannot be universally accessed by the public\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eIf average prices rise significantly\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eIf high-cost brand-name formulations are used instead of generics\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eIf the added cost of starting statins earlier in life is not sufficiently offset by enhanced reductions in heart attack rates\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThere is also a population-level math problem. Even if early statin therapy significantly reduces risk in high-risk young adults, the overall impact on national heart disease rates may be limited, because many heart attacks actually occur in the more numerous lower-risk people. To truly \"unseat coronary disease as the nation's leading killer\" — the goal envisioned by Forrester — would require a dramatic expansion of treatment guidelines \u003cem\u003eand\u003c\/em\u003e excellent adherence. Such an expansion would expose many more people to the uncertain benefits, harms, and costs of lifelong statin therapy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2 id=\"bottom-line\"\u003eThe Bottom Line: What Should Patients Know?\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe Adult Treatment Panel IV Committee — the body responsible for updating national cholesterol guidelines — must weigh these uncertainties against mounting evidence supporting earlier statin use. The report was due in early 2011, and the authors offer a thoughtful framework for the decision.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOption 1: Wait for more research.\u003c\/strong\u003e Waiting before expanding statin prescribing guidelines is a reasonable option. The ideal randomized trial — randomizing 20-year-olds to statins or placebo and following them for 50 years — is essentially impossible because of the decades-long follow-up required. But several other research approaches are feasible and useful:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eFurther observational research on long-term effects (both harms and benefits) of statin therapy\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eConfirmation of the genetically mediated lifelong cholesterol-exposure findings\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eRandomized trials to explore short-term effects of statins in young adults\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eStudies to improve adherence to guidelines among both physicians and patients\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eModeling studies to quantify uncertainty and simulate projected effects of different statin prescribing strategies\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOption 2: Expand guidelines in a targeted way.\u003c\/strong\u003e If the committee decides to expand treatment guidelines, the authors endorse a careful, incremental approach. They suggest considering statins for younger persons \u003cstrong\u003estarting at around age 30\u003c\/strong\u003e, but only for those with risk factors that convey \u003cstrong\u003ehigh lifetime risk\u003c\/strong\u003e — as opposed to 10-year risk — for coronary heart disease.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eTreating high-risk persons who have more to gain in the long run increases the likelihood that treatment will eventually result in net benefit for patients. This approach would have a relatively limited population-level impact at first, but it would avoid exposing millions of low-risk young adults to lifelong medication with uncertain benefits.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe authors emphasize that important research on long-term effects should proceed regardless of how guidelines are formulated. They conclude that a dramatic expansion in statin prescribing is \"best approached incrementally by future guidelines.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2 id=\"limitations\"\u003eStudy Limitations\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis article is a commentary — an expert opinion piece — not a clinical trial or a systematic review. Its conclusions reflect the authors' interpretation of existing evidence. The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eKey limitations of the evidence base they describe include:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eNo long-term randomized trials have tested statins started in young adulthood and followed through middle age.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eLong-term safety data beyond 10 years of continuous statin use are limited.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eRates of rare adverse events come primarily from observational studies of middle-aged and older adults, and may not apply to younger populations.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eThe diabetes risk estimate (1 in 255 over 4 years) comes from a meta-analysis of trials that were not designed to assess long-term diabetes risk, and extrapolating that risk over 50 years is speculative.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eCost-effectiveness projections depend heavily on assumptions about medication pricing, adherence rates, and the degree to which early LDL reduction translates into long-term event prevention.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003c!-- ddn:faq:start --\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"ddn-faq\"\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eShould healthy young adults start taking statins to prevent heart disease?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCurrent guidelines recommend statins for young adults only if cholesterol remains very high after trying diet, exercise, and weight management. Some experts argue for earlier use, but uncertainty remains about long-term benefits and risks. A careful, individualized discussion with a doctor is important before deciding.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhat are the potential benefits of starting statins early in life?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEarly statin use might prevent plaque buildup in arteries, potentially reducing future heart attacks. Evidence supporting this comes from genetic studies showing people with lifelong low LDL have an 88% lower heart disease risk. However, no long-term trials prove starting statins in your 20s or 30s prevents heart attacks decades later.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhat are the risks of taking statins for decades starting in young adulthood?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStatins are relatively safe, but long-term use over 50 years is not well studied. Rare risks include rhabdomyolysis, myopathy, peripheral neuropathy, and elevated liver enzymes. Newer concern is a small increased risk of diabetes, which may accumulate over time. Unknown effects in younger people cannot be excluded.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHow much does statin therapy increase the risk of developing diabetes?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA meta-analysis of randomized trials found one extra case of diabetes for every 255 people treated for 4 years. If this rate continues, the added risk over 50 years could approach 5%, meaning one extra case for every 21 people treated. This estimate is speculative because long-term data are limited.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eShould I worry about muscle pain from statins?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMinor muscle pain is commonly reported with statins, but in controlled trials it occurs just as often with placebo, suggesting expectation may play a role. Serious muscle breakdown called rhabdomyolysis is very rare, at about 3 to 4 cases per 100,000 person-years of treatment.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhat should a young adult do if they have high cholesterol?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLifestyle changes such as diet, exercise, and weight management are the first step. Statins are recommended only if cholesterol remains very high after a trial of lifestyle modification. Before starting, discuss your personal heart disease risk, potential benefits, and possible risks with your healthcare provider.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- ddn:faq:end --\u003e\n\n\u003ch2 id=\"source\"\u003eSource Information\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOriginal Article:\u003c\/strong\u003e \"Statin Therapy in Young Adults: Ready for Prime Time?\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAuthors:\u003c\/strong\u003e Mark J. Pletcher, MD, MPH, and Stephen B. Hulley, MD, MPH, from the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and the Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJournal:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eJournal of the American College of Cardiology\u003c\/em\u003e, Vol. 56, No. 8, 2010, pages 637–640. Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of the American College of Cardiology Foundation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDOI:\u003c\/strong\u003e 10.1016\/j.jacc.2010.05.018\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eNote: This patient-friendly article is based on peer-reviewed research. It is intended for educational purposes and does not constitute medical advice. Patients should consult their healthcare provider about whether statin therapy is appropriate for their individual risk profile.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"DiagnosticDetectives.Com","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47458661859484,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"JPY","in_stock":true}],"url":"https:\/\/diagnosticdetectives.jp\/products\/statins-in-young-adults-is-early-treatment-ready-for-prime-time","provider":"DiagnosticDetectives.Com","version":"1.0","type":"link"}