Statins (technically, HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors) are a very important class of prescription medications. The drugs in this class typically have names ending in "statin:" atorvastatin, simvastatin, pravastatin, lovastatin, fluvastatin, et. al., hence the nickname.

What do statins do? The major effect of the statins is to lower LDL-cholesterol ("bad cholesterol") levels, and they lower LDL-cholesterol better than other classes of drugs. They do this by inhibiting an enzyme with the long-winded...