Dr. James Froehlich of the University of Michigan reviewed surveys of about 250,000 patient visits to doctors between 1990 and 1996. Dr. Antonio M. Gotto of Cornell University said that between 4.5 million and 5 million Americans are taking statins, while at least 25 million could benefit. There's enough blame to go around. Gotto noted that patients themselves are often unenthusiastic about taking statins, because they are not terribly afraid of heart trouble. The drugs are expensive.
Doctors are by nature extremely conservative and slow to adopt new ideas.
There are lingering concerns about the drugs' safety, even though the latest data suggest they are extremely safe and produce few side effects. Patients with no outward symptoms of heart trouble are often reluctant to take drugs that don't make them feel better.