The commonly prescribed cholesterol-lowering drugs, statins, lower cholesterol levels more effectively in summer compared to winter.

Drugs such as Levacor, Zocor, Pravachol, Lipitor, and Crestor, classified as statins, reduce the risk of developing atherosclerosis and subsequent cardiovascular events through lowering cholesterol levels in the blood.

Previous studies had reported cardiac events are more frequent in winter than summer, adding that cholesterol levels are higher in the fall and winter than in the spring and summer.

A new study however revealed that seasonal changes influence the efficiency of cholesterol-lowering medication.

According to the study published in the American Journal of Cardiology, statins act more effectively in summer, indicating that a patient who is slightly lower than the treatment goal in summer will need a more intense therapy in winter to achieve the treatment goal.

Scientists therefore urge physicians to consider the seasonal variability of the lipid profile and the efficacy of statins in different seasons before prescribing such medications particularly in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS).

PKH/HGH