The Risk Of Using Statins Among Smokers

A new study has shown that using statins influences the susceptibility to or the increase of interstitial lung disease (ILD) among smokers.

There are studies that indicate that the use of statin helps in treating fibrotic lung disease whereas there are those studies that indicate that its use leads to the progression of pulmonary fibrosis. This it does by causing the secretion of inflammasome-regulated cytokines. There are also numerous cases reported that indicate that statin contributes to development of different kinds of interstitial Lung Disease (ILD).

The study was based on initial reports of statin-related ILD and data that indicated smoking is linked with interstitial lung abnormalities (ILA) that underlie ILD leading the researchers to hypothesize that the use of statins would boost risk for ILA in a given populace of smokers. In addition, the researchers also conducted an evaluation on the association of the use of statin and ILA in a group of current and former smokers based on the COPD Gene study. The findings made in humans were also demonstrated when it was found that the administration of statin to bleomycin-mice resulted in increased lung injury and fibrosis. The research findings were published in the American Thoracic Society’s American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

The assessment in this study included pulmonary function testing and carrying out of CT scans to study ILA features. In the study, out of the 1,184 people studied who showed no evidence of ILA, 315 (27%) subjects used statins in comparison with the 66 of 172 (38%) with ILA. Adjusting a number of conditions and factors, it was observed that those that used statins had 60% odds of catching ILA compared to those not using statins.

Even with such findings, it has been found that use of statins is beneficial in treating cardiovascular diseases and the benefits outweigh the risks.

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