During a presentation titled “Misunderstandings and truth about statins: From cardiovascular disease prevention to renal safety,” [Dr. Jang Min-wook] said medical information about statins circulating online often contains some factual elements but is distorted, exaggerated or taken out of context.
Such content, he said, is spreading in mixed forms of mal-information, misinformation and disinformation, particularly through internet searches and YouTube.
“Recently, in outpatient clinics, more young patients are delaying treatment because of unverified information,” Jang said. “If statin therapy is postponed, it can lead to irreversible outcomes such as myocardial infarction later in life. Patients should trust decades of accumulated clinical evidence, not ‘fake news’ hidden behind sensational view counts.”
“Diabetes and chronic kidney disease are key factors that accelerate cardiovascular risk, and treatment delays can further increase that risk in high-risk patients,” Jang said. “Many patients hesitate to continue statins for a long time because of misinformation that they may harm the kidneys.”
According to Jang, common misconceptions about statins include denying the need for LDL cholesterol management, excessive concern over serious muscle damage and avoidance of treatment due to fears that statins may cause diabetes.
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