How to Use Statins in Secondary Prevention of Atherosclerotic Diseases: from the Beneficial Early Initiation to the Potentially Unfavorable Discontinuation

Statins, a class of lipid-lowering drugs, reduce morbidity and mortality in patients with established atherosclerosis-related cardiovascular disease. Early initiation of statin therapy after admission for acute coronary syndromes (ACS), stroke, or transient ischemic attack (TIA) is associated with improved cardiovascular outcomes. Moreover, high-dose statin treatment prior to coronary or carotid revascularization has been shown to reduce...