Statins, sold in the United States under such brand names as Pravachol and Lipitor, are a class of drugs that reduce levels of cholesterol, which can cause fatty plaque buildups along artery walls.
Heart attacks occur when pieces of plaque break off and clog an artery.
Statins may also reduce inflammation that occurs when plaque forms. In the past, doctors have waited a month or two to prescribe statins for heart attack patients because the attacks can cause inaccurate cholesterol readings. The Swedish researchers said their findings suggest that statins can also help when used soon after an attack, when the plaque might still be unstable. The findings appear in Wednesday's Journal of the American Medical Association and come two months after an American Heart Association meeting where a study was released suggesting that victims of mild heart attacks are more likely to survive if given statins early. The Swedish researchers looked at data on 5,528 heart attack patients younger than 80 who were given quick statin treatment and 14,071 patients who were not given statins.