What is the best statin for the elderly?
Emily Schmidt
Updated on May 01, 2026
Atorvastatin or fluvastatin are usually recommended because there is no need to adjust the dose according to the glomerular filtration rate [28]. In patients without diagnosed atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, it is indicated a moderate dose of statin, such as atorvastatin 20 mg daily [28].
What is the most gentle statin?
In the analysis of 135 previous studies, which included nearly 250,000 people combined, researchers found that the drugs simvastatin (Zocor) and pravastatin (Pravachol) had the fewest side effects in this class of medications. They also found that lower doses produced fewer side effects in general.What type of statin does not cause dementia?
Our results showed that strong statins, such as rosuvastatin, atorvastatin, and simvastatin, were associated with a larger reduction of dementia, whereas standard statins, such as pravastatin, fluvastatin, and lovastatin, were not associated with a reduction of dementia.Why should over 70s not take atorvastatin?
Statins should be taken with caution if you're at an increased risk of developing a rare side effect called myopathy, which is where the tissues of your muscles become damaged and painful. Severe myopathy (rhabdomyolysis) can lead to kidney damage. Things that can increase this risk include: being over 70 years old.Are statins recommended for the elderly?
Adults age 75 and older may not need statins.Their doctors usually prescribe statins to prevent heart disease. But for older people, there is no clear evidence that high cholesterol leads to heart disease or death.
Statins in the elderly
What is the safest statin for elderly?
Atorvastatin or fluvastatin are usually recommended because there is no need to adjust the dose according to the glomerular filtration rate [28]. In patients without diagnosed atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, it is indicated a moderate dose of statin, such as atorvastatin 20 mg daily [28].What can I take instead of statins to lower cholesterol?
7 cholesterol-lowering alternatives to statins
- Fibrates. Mostly used for lowering triglyceride levels in patients whose levels are very high and could cause pancreatitis. ...
- Plant stanols and sterols. ...
- Cholestyramine and other bile acid-binding resins. ...
- Niacin. ...
- Policosanol. ...
- Red yeast rice extract (RYRE) ...
- Natural products.