![](https://www.diabetesnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/statin-medications-150x150.jpg)
If you’re like nearly one-third of Americans over age 40, you probably take a statin. These cholesterol-lowering drugs are used for reducing risk of stroke and heart attack. They work by lowering the amount of LDL cholesterol, the so-called “bad cholesterol” in the blood. Statins also reduce inflammation around plaque in the blood vessels.