The evi­dence is mounting that the anti-cholesterol drugs known as statins are a powerful line of defense against cardiovascular disease (CVD) in people with diabetes.

Known for lowering “bad” LDL cholesterol, statins cut fatal cardiovascular events by a third among people with diabetes, according to recent research. Statins include the medications atorvastatin (Lipitor), simvastatin (Zocor), and lovastatin (Mevacor), among others.

Specifically, statins reduce the risk of a major cardiovascular event—such as a stroke, heart attack, or coronary revascularization—by 20 percent for every 40 mg/dl they lower LDL cholesterol.

Here’s the math: Statins typically lower LDL cholesterol levels by around 40 percent. So, a person with a very high 200 mg/dl LDL cholesterol could expect a post-statin level of 120 mg/dl. That’s a reduction of 80 mg/dl, which translates to a dramatic 40-percent drop in cardiovascular risk, according to this study. Even with an initial LDL cholesterol level of 100 mg/dl, statin therapy would decrease levels further to 60 mg/dl, which translates to a 20-percent reduction in cardiovascular risk.

The British and Australian researchers reached this CVD risk algorithm after reanalyzing data from 19,000 people with diabetes. The raw data came from 14 previous randomized trials of statin therapy. Participants were an average of 63 years old, and over 90 percent had type 2 diabetes.

The study’s findings square with American Diabetes Association guidelines that recommend statin therapy, regardless of initial LDL cholesterol levels, when diabetes is coupled with established CVD. The guidelines also recommend statins for anyone with diabetes over 40 years old who has one or more CVD risk factors, such as high blood pressure.

The conclusion that statins reduce risk even for those with optimal initial LDL cholesterol levels begs the question of whether statins might be a good idea for everyone with diabetes.

“One can’t generalize for a person with diabetes,” says study author Colin Baigent, MD, of the Clinical Trial Service Unit in Oxford, England. He recommends seeking advice from a medical practitioner. However, “if you have diabetes and you are middle-aged or older, [you] should certainly consider statins,” Baigent says.

The study was published in the Jan. 12, 2008, issue of the Lancet medical journal.