“Yet statin use results in 20-30% lower all cause mortality.”
No they do not! Hell, EVERYONE would take them if they did! Seriously: People taking statins are already higher risk - or they would not be told to take them. If someone is at risk, and does nothing, then they will be at higher risk than someone who does something - and statins CAN impact that. Sometimes.
But I just reviewed several studies that claim to back up your statement, and they are garbage studies. For example, NONE OF THEM compared statins to simply changing one’s bad diet and starting exercise. I do agree: Someone who is eating crap and doesn’t exercise will often be better taking a statin than doing nothing at all.
But that does NOT make taking a statin the first or best option. And lowering LDL for the sake of lowering it - same with total cholesterol - is DUMB. LDL is bad cholesterol. Or good cholesterol. Depends on the LDL and why it is there!
Sweet spot for all cause mortality with total cholesterol is 190-260, not “below 200”. We NEED cholesterol and a healthy body eating a good diet WILL have LDL levels above 100. Our bodies create and manage cholesterol - but there is a huge difference between a body that is being abused by bad food and sitting around and a proper functioning body.
The solution is not trying to hide the abuse, but to remove it and allow the body to heal based on reality rather than Band-Aids!
You hit the nail on the head...you are prescribed statins because you have a pre-existing condition. You will never really know if they are prolonging your life.