statin

American  

[stat-n] / ˈstæt n /

noun

Pharmacology.

1. any of a class of drugs that reduce the levels of lipids in the blood by altering the enzyme activity in the liver that produces lipids: used in the prevention and treatment of heart disease.

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statin British  

/ ˈstætɪn /

noun

1. any of a class of drugs, including atorvastatin and simvastatin, that lower the levels of low-density lipoproteins in the blood by inhibiting the activity of an enzyme involved in the production of cholesterol in the liver

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statin Scientific  

/ stăt′n /

1. Any of a class of drugs that inhibit a key enzyme involved in the synthesis of cholesterol and promote receptor binding of LDL-cholesterol, resulting in decreased levels of serum cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol and increased levels of HDL-cholesterol.

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Etymology

Origin of statin

First recorded in 1985–90; extracted from (lova)statin and other drugs in this class

Example Sentences

Cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins, used by millions, are far safer than previously thought, a major review has found.

From BBC

Their research, published in Nature Communications, points toward a path for developing safer statins that do not cause these complications.

From Science Daily

They discovered that statins, which are widely prescribed to lower cholesterol, strongly block UBL3 modification.

From Science Daily

When you stop taking a statin, the cholesterol will go back up.

From The Wall Street Journal

A large long-term study has found that statins, a widely used class of cholesterol-lowering medications, significantly reduce the risk of death and serious heart-related problems in adults with type 2 diabetes.

From Science Daily