statin
statins
A statin is a kind of medicine that can help lower a person's cholesterol. By taking statins, many patients lower their risk of having a stroke or heart attack.
Some of the cholesterol in our blood comes from the food we eat, but most is produced by our livers. When cholesterol is too high, fat can build up inside our arteries and cause cardiovascular disease. Statins reduce the cholesterol made by the liver. Statin is from the Latin stare, "remain or stand still," and is often used as a suffix in names for drugs that stop something; in this case, statins bring rising cholesterol to a halt.
Definitions of statin
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a medicine that lowers blood cholesterol levels by inhibiting HMG-CoA reductase
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types:
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Lipitor, atorvastatin
an oral drug (trade name Lipitor) that is effective in lowering triglycerides; potent in reducing LDL cholesterol because higher doses can be given
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Baycol, cerivastatin
an oral drug (trade name Baycol) to reduce blood cholesterol levels
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Lescol, fluvastatin
least expensive statin drug (trade name Lescol); usually taken orally at bedtime
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Mevacor, lovastatin
an oral drug (trade name Mevacor) to reduce blood cholesterol levels; used when dietary changes have proved inadequate
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Pravachol, pravastatin
an oral drug (trade name Pravachol) administered to reduce blood cholesterol levels; recommended after nonfatal heart attacks
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Zocor, simvastatin
an oral lipid-lowering medicine (trade name Zocor) administered to reduce blood cholesterol levels; recommended after heart attacks
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type of:
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medicament, medication, medicinal drug, medicine
(medicine) something that treats or prevents or alleviates the symptoms of disease
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘statin'.
Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors.
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