Why Are Statins Taken in the Evening?

For years doctors have directed their patients to take HMG-CoA reductace inhibitors--or statins--at night. This evening dosage time is often inconvenient or physically unsettling for many who take the medication.

Significance

Statins are the No. 1 line of treatment for patients with coronary issues and offer substantial reductions in mortality rates.

Function

Statins are HMG-CoA reductace inhibitors and the most powerful drug available to lower LDL cholesterol.

Theories/Speculation

LDL enzymes are higher at night while may statins have half-lives (some as low as six hours) of effectiveness. Taking them at night inhibits the enzyme during its most active phase and may be more effective in lowering cholesterol.

Misconceptions

Not all statins have short pharmacodynamic properties and some may achieve equal LDL effects when taken in the morning.

Prevention/Solution

Statins such as Rosuvastatin and Atorvastatin have signficantly longer half-lives (19 and 14 hours) and may not be hindered by morning administration.

Considerations

Clinical studies done with simvastatin showed that evening administration resulted in a 21 percent reduction of LDL cholesterol while morning administration only garnered a 15 percent reduction.

References

• Do Statins have to be Taken in the Evening

Resources

• Facts about Statins