Heart Health
Understanding statin intensity
Ask the doctor
Q. I'm 71 and have taken 20 milligrams (mg) of atorvastatin (Lipitor) since 2010, after an angiogram showed a 90% blockage of a small coronary artery. But I've never had angina or a heart attack. My LDL is 70 mg/dL. Should I switch to 20 mg of rosuvastatin (Crestor), which I understand is a higher-intensity statin?
A. You're correct — a 20-mg dose of rosuvastatin is considered high-intensity statin therapy. Before getting into my advice, let me first explain what we mean by statin intensity.
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About the Author
Christopher P. Cannon, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Heart Letter; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
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