Trending According to the NHS, your doctor should discuss the risks and benefits of taking statins if they're offered to you. The risks of any side effects also have to be balanced against the benefits of preventing serious problems. A review of scientific studies into the effectiveness of statins found around one in every 50 people who take the medicine for five years will avoid a serious event, such as a heart attack or stroke, as a result. Alternative approaches to lowering cholesterol Taking statins is not the only recourse you have against high cholesterol levels. Statins: Your doctor should discuss the risks and benefits (Image: Getty Images)