Statins and gallstone disease
Statins have been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and death from all causes. Now another potential benefit is being reported: Statins may reduce gallstone disease. Utilizing a large patient database from the United Kingdom, researchers looked at the risk of developing gallstones followed by cholecystectomy in relation to exposure to lipid-lowering agents. The longer patients took statins, the lower the risk for gallstone disease, with patients who had filled 20 or more prescriptions noticing 36% reduction in risk (AOR, 0.64; 95% confidence interval, 0.59-0.70). The authors conclude that long-term use of statins is associated with a decrease risk of gallstones followed by cholecystectomy (JAMA 2009;302:2001-2007).