Let’s talk about statins, one of the most important and sometimes controversial medications used in cardiovascular medicine.

People are often surprised when I tell them that I take a statin myself. As a heart surgeon, I’ve spent my career operating on patients with severe coronary artery disease, heart attacks, and blocked arteries. One thing I learned very early is that heart disease does not always look the way people expect it to look.

When I was just 44 years old, I was found to have calcification in my coronary arteries, even though I did not fit the typical stereotype. I never smoked, I stayed active, maintained a healthy weight, and did not have a dramatic family history of coronary artery disease. On the surface, I appeared to be low risk.

But after decades in medicine, I also understood that genetics can be hidden, inflammation plays a major role, and chronic stress has become an increasingly important factor in cardiovascular disease.

Sadly, for some people, the first symptom of heart disease is a heart attack or even sudden death.

So I saw a cardiologist, underwent a stress test, and was advised to start a statin. Like many patients, I wanted to understand the science and safety behind taking a medication long term before making that decision myself.

What I found convinced me that for the right patients, statins are not only highly effective, but remarkably safe. And I still feel that way today.

One concern I hear frequently is the fear that statins cause Alzheimer’s disease or memory loss. Fortunately, the scientific evidence does not support that concern. Large studies have not shown an increased risk of dementia or Alzheimer’s disease from statin use.

In fact, some research suggests the opposite may be true. By improving vascular health and reducing the risk of stroke, statins may actually help protect cognitive function in many patients.

A small number of people do report temporary brain fog or confusion while taking statins, but these cases are uncommon and are typically reversible by stopping or changing the medication.

Overall, for appropriate patients, the cardiovascular benefits of statins far outweigh the largely unproven fears surrounding dementia.

Statins work by lowering LDL cholesterol, stabilizing plaque, and reducing inflammation inside the arteries. That reduction in inflammation is extremely important.

These medications do more than improve cholesterol numbers on a lab test. They reduce the risk of heart attacks, strokes, bypass surgery, and death from cardiovascular disease.

For me personally, it has now been about 24 years since I started taking a statin. I’m now 68 years old, and I genuinely believe it has been one of the key factors in helping me stay healthy.

Are statins perfect? No medication is. Some patients experience muscle aches or other side effects, and treatment always needs to be individualized.

But in my experience, much of the fear surrounding statins, especially on social media, is far greater than the actual risk for most patients.

As heart surgeons, we see the consequences of uncontrolled cardiovascular disease every day. We also see patients who wish they had acted earlier.

That’s why, when appropriate, I strongly recommend statins to many of my patients who are at risk for cardiovascular disease. Not simply because I’ve read the studies or guidelines, but because I’ve seen the outcomes firsthand, both professionally and personally.