Statins and coronary artery calcium progression: a meta-analysis

Researchers combined results from several studies of adults who had coronary artery scans. These scans use a CT machine to measure calcium, a sign of hardened plaque in the heart arteries. People taking statins, medicines that lower cholesterol, often had similar or faster increases in calcium than people not taking them. The studies differed in their methods, and a calcium increase does not necessarily mean statins are making heart disease worse.

What this means for you: Do not start, stop, or buy statins based on calcium progression alone. Statins are judged mainly by whether they lower heart attacks and strokes, and this analysis did not directly answer that question.