Statins: When is the best time to take statins?

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Statins have become a vital component of many older men and women’s daily routine over the last few years. The group of medicines has a proven track record of reducing cholesterol inside the liver. Without them, fatty deposits can build-up and subsequently cause cardiovascular disease (CVD).

When is the best time to take statins?

People only need to take statins once a day for them to work as desired.

But there isn’t one universal statin to take, as doctors may prescribe short or long-acting pills.

These will require different timings to work their best.

Short-acting statins

The body can process short-acting statins quicker than its alternative.

For these, people should prioritise taking doses in the evening, according to medical reviews published in the Journal of Clinical Lipidology.

Taking them at this time, they found, results in lower cholesterol compared to morning doses.

Short-acting statins include the following medications:

• Simvastatin (Zocor)
• Lovastatin (Mevacor)
• Pravastatin (Pravachol)
• Fluvastatin (Lescol)

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Long-acting statins

The second type of statin isn’t so easy for the body to process.

They have a half-life of 14 to 19 hours but don’t need specific timing with each dose.

Instead, those taking them should organise a time – day or night – when they can best remember to take their medication.

The following medications are long-acting:

• Rosuvastatin (Crestor)
• Fluvastatin (Lescol)
• Atorvastatin (Lipitor)

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