Today, a website called HealthCareers.com reported some very interesting and encouraging data. Why a healthcare job search website is talking about statins and COVID-19 confuses me, but this information is encouraging and reassuring. The information they reported comes from three studies conducted at various locations worldwide.
Study number 1:
Hospitalized COVID-19 patients who were on a statin were almost half as likely to die
during the first 30 days of hospitalization than those not taking a statin.
26.5% of non-statin-users died
14.8% of statin-users died
The theory behind these results: COVID-19 causes “hyper-inflammation that leads to acute
respiratory distress syndrome, heart muscle injury, and blood clot formation.” Statins are
both anti-inflammatory and anti-clot forming and thus are protective.
Study number 2:
Patients hospitalized with COVID-19 who were on a statin were only slightly less likely
to need mechanical ventilation than those not taking a statin.
21.8% of non-statin-users required ventilation
18.6% of statin-users required ventilation
Study number 3:
There is a “significantly reduced hazard for fatal or severe disease with the use of
statins compared to non-use of statins in COVID-19/patients.”
“EVIDENCE SUGGESTS THAT STATIN THERAPY OF MODERATE-TO-HIGH INTENSITY COULD BE EFFECTIVE IN COVID-19 PATIENTS!
MODERATE INTENSITY STATINS:
Lipitor (atorvastatin) 10-20 mg
Crestor (rosuvastatin) 5-10 mg
Zocor (simvastatin) 20-40 mg
Pravachol (pravastatin) 40-80 mg
HIGH INTENSITY STATINS:
Lipitor 40-80 mg
Crestor 20 mg
Dr. G’s Opinion: Like I’ve said many times before, statins should be in the water. This information is just another of the many reasons why.
Reference: https://www.healthecareers.com/medpage/article/healthcare-new
