statin

noun

stat·​in ˈsta-tᵊn 

: any of a group of drugs (such as lovastatin and simvastatin) that inhibit the synthesis of cholesterol and promote the production of LDL-binding receptors in the liver resulting in a usually marked decrease in the level of LDL and a modest increase in the level of HDL circulating in blood plasma

Examples of statin in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

By contrast, researchers did not observe a similar rise in use of other drugs, like statins for high cholesterol. —Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 8 June 2026

Interruptions in antihypertensives and statins can raise heart risks over time, and in some cases lead to hypertensive emergencies. —Jesse Pines, Forbes.com, 6 June 2026

For safety reasons, people in the current study also continued taking cholesterol-lowering medications, including statins, during the trial. —Alice Park, Time, 28 May 2026

When Kimbrooke Pavlich was diagnosed with high cholesterol as a teen, doctors prescribed traditional statins. —Roni Robbins, AJC.com, 27 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

from -statin (as in lovastatin)

First Known Use

1985, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for statin

• aten
• clayton
• satan
• straighten
• creatine

Medical Definition

statin

noun

stat·​in ˈstat-ᵊn 

: any of a group of lipid-lowering drugs (as lovastatin and simvastatin) that function by inhibiting a liver enzyme which controls the synthesis of cholesterol and by promoting the production of LDL-binding receptors in the liver resulting in a usually marked decrease in the level of LDL and a modest increase in the level of HDL circulating in blood plasma