Cholesterol-lowering statins become killers when you have the flu

Cholesterol-lowering statin drugs become a killer if you take them when you have flu. In fact, a flu victim is twice as likely to die if he is taking a statin, a new study has discovered.
This suggests that statins could be a major killer; around one in three people take the drug to lower their cholesterol levels, and it’s estimated that 20 per cent of people suffer from the flu at least once a year.
Researchers from the Oregon Public Health Division limited their research to people whose flu is so bad that they need hospital care, and these people are at the greatest risk if they are taking a statin. In their study of 3,043 hospital patients with influenza, the researchers found that 33 per cent were taking a statin – and they were twice as likely to die from their flu symptoms as someone not taking a statin.
(Source: Journal of Infectious Diseases, 2011; 205: 13).

What do you think? Start a conversation over on the... WDDTY Community