A study of heart transplant patients in Switzerland has unearthed more positive news about the cholesterol lowering medication, statins, and how they can help people beyond the simple lipid lowering effects. The Zurich based study analysed 255 patients who underwent heart transplantation at the University Hospital Zurich between 1985 and 2007, and who were still alive for the first year post-surgery. In 108 of these patients, cancer was discovered during a follow up. Statin use then reduced the risk of any cancer by a whopping 65%. Patients were analysed 8 years after their heart transplantation. In 34% of the subjects, an incidence of tumours had been experienced by those not taking a statin, in comparison to 13% who were taking one. This advantageous effect of statins was shown to be in effect also after 10 and 12 years post-surgery. The evaluations were explained at the Heart Failure Congress, a meeting of the European Society of Cardiology, in Belgrade, Serbia. The beneficial effects of statins were not directly related to one’s cholesterol levels, raising the possibility of further advantages of taking statins being discovered in the near future. This latest good news comes after statins were also recently shown to reduce the risk of a heart attack within healthy individuals, as we reported here, with some Doctors even going as far as to recommend that taking statins on a daily basis would actually benefit everybody, which we reported back in April. If you want to improve your cholesterol levels, Medical Specialists Pharmacy can help. ‘Crestor’ (Rosuvastatin) and ‘Lipitor’ (Atorvastatin) are prescription only medicines that belong to a group of cholesterol-lowering medicines called statins. Along with diet, they lower ‘bad’ cholesterol (LDL-C), increase ‘good’ cholesterol (HDL-C), and also slow the progression of atherosclerosis in adults with high cholesterol, as part of a treatment plan to lower cholesterol to goal. We are now pleased to inform our patients that we now offer legal generic Atorvastatin, with prices from as little as just £11.25 per pack.