Statins over 70: keep taking them or stop?

Should you still take statins after age 70? Is there an age when cholesterol medication should be stopped? As a pharmacist, I explain what older adults should know about statin benefits, side effects, heart attack prevention, and when treatment deserves another look.

Statins over 70 are NOT automatically unnecessary. But the decision to continue a statin should involve more than your age or cholesterol numbers.

If you're taking atorvastatin (Lipitor), rosuvastatin (Crestor), simvastatin (Zocor), or another statin, understanding WHY it was prescribed is one of the most important questions you can ask.

• IN THIS VIDEO, YOU'LL LEARN:

• Should you continue taking a statin after age 70 or 75?

• Why preventing a first heart attack is different from preventing another heart attack or stroke

• How a history of heart attack, stroke, stents, or bypass surgery can change the decision

• What current cholesterol guidelines say about statin use in older adults

• When muscle symptoms, medication interactions, or other side effects deserve attention

• Why frailty, major health changes, life expectancy, and personal treatment goals may matter

• When to discuss reducing, changing, or potentially discontinuing a statin

• Important questions to ask your pharmacist or healthcare provider

THE MOST IMPORTANT TAKEAWAY