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Reference.org
Discovery and development of statins
open-in-new
<p> The discovery of <a href="/facts/HMG-CoA/e8aUsAq6">HMG-CoA (3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA)</a> reductase inhibitors, called <a href="/facts/Statin/ba4mes9W">statins</a>, was a breakthrough in the prevention of <a href="/facts/Hypercholesterolemia/UlIDdQuT">hypercholesterolemia</a> and related diseases. Hypercholesterolemia is considered to be one of the major risk factors for <a href="/facts/Atherosclerosis/WIS8QQ6v">atherosclerosis</a> which often leads to <a href="/facts/Cardiovascular_disease/HD420nMv">cardiovascular</a>, <a href="/facts/Cerebrovascular_disease/Y11DmQk4">cerebrovascular</a> and peripheral vascular diseases. The statins inhibit <a href="/facts/Mevalonate_pathway/uHea16r2">cholesterol synthesis</a> in the body and that leads to reduction in blood cholesterol levels, which is thought to reduce the risk of atherosclerosis and diseases caused by it. </p>