Statins prevent death from pneumonia

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

A study suggests that patients on statins are less likely to die of pneumonia when admitted to hospital for this cause.
Pneumonia is the seventh most common cause of death in the USA. Groups such as the elderly and those suffering from chronic lung disease are most at risk. Now a team of researchers at the University of Texas reveals that people taking statins, drugs which lower cholesterol, are less likely to die from pneumonia if admitted to hospital with the infection.

Statins are usually prescribed to lower cholesterol and so decrease the risk of heart disease. Their beneficial effect on pneumonia mortality may be linked to a separate effect of statins on the immune system. In this study, those on statins were 2.8 times less likely to die from pneumonia than those who were not on statins.

Source
Respiratory Research 25th July 2005