The supposed risks of taking cholesterol-busting (降低胆固醇的) drugs have been under the spotlight, but common fears are unfounded, says epidemiologist Rory Collins. Millions of people take statins (他汀类药物) to lower cholesterol. So there was (26) interest when two articles appeared in The BMJ, a leading British medical journal, last year (27) their safety. This week the journal admitted both had overstated the extent of (28) in some patients. That part of both papers has now been corrected. But some researchers are worried that coverage has caused (29) and will put some people off taking these drugs. So what are the facts about statins Jon White spoke to epidemiologist Rory Collins. What are statins They are a group of drugs that lower the risk of cardiovascular events such as (30) and ischaemic strokes—strokes due to clots in the arteries to the brain—and the need for (31) such as a heart bypass. The short name is "statin" because all the drug names end in it. Simvastatin and atorvastatin are two (32) available ones. They stop a liver enzyme (酶) which (33) making cholesterol; blocking it reduces (34) cholesterol made in the liver. In response to that, liver cells put more (35) for a form of cholesterol known as LDL—sometimes called bad cholesterol—on their surface. Those receptors pull more LDL out of the blood, so lowering levels. That LDL cholesterol is metabolised by the liver and excreted.