[Statins in the management of dyslipidemias].

Statins, combined with life-style advices, have a key position in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. By inhibiting HMG-CoA reductase enzyme, these medications reduce total and LDL cholesterol levels in a dose-dependent manner. They also exert various pleiotropic effects that may contribute to the cardiovascular protection. Although some differences exist between available statins, a class effect seems predominant. Statins have proven their efficacy in numerous controlled randomized trials (recently pooled in meta-analyses), both in primary and secondary prevention, including various specific populations, among them patients with diabetes. Tolerance and safety profile is rather good even if muscular and hepatic adverse events may occur. The prescription of statins should target high-risk individuals and both therapeutic inertia and drug non-compliance should be avoided.