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New guidelines on statins released by U.S. Preventive Services Task Force

Posted at 12:15 PM, Nov 15, 2016
and last updated 2016-11-15 14:15:04-05

Officials have just issued new guidelines about statins to prevent strokes or heart attacks.

Millions of adults with no signs and no symptoms may wonder if they should start taking them.

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The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force is now recommending all Americans ages 40-75 should consider statins if their doctor says they have an elevated risk of heart attack in the next 10 years.

They also must have one of these risk factors:

-High cholesterol

-High blood pressure

-Diabetes

-Smoking

“These drugs are quite safe for most people in these age groups,” said ABC News Health Correspondent Dr. Richard Besser. “If you have these risk factors, it’s worth talking to your doctor to see if these drugs are right for you.”

Cardiovascular disease is responsible for one in three adult deaths, but statins are believed to help reduce that risk.

The guidance from the task force this week says even people with lower risk could benefit from taking a daily statin.

Doctors stress without symptoms, or even a history of cardiovascular disease, you could still be at risk.