Taking statins slashes the risk of dying from Covid by more than a third, according to new research. The cholesterol-busting drugs combat severe symptoms such as breathing problems and persistent chest pain.
They are one of the world's most popular medications - dampening inflammation in blood vessels. Now a study of nearly 39,000 patients hospitalised with the coronavirus found regular users had better outcomes.
Lead author Professor Ettore Crimi, of Central Florida University in the US, said: "While there is no 'magic bullet' to help patients who are very ill with Covid-19, statins decrease inflammation, which may help reduce the severity of the disease. Results of our study clearly showed regular statin use is associated with reduced risk of death and improved outcomes in hospitalised Covid-19 patients."
