How would statins affect cardiovascular disease?

Reduce LDL particles: Statins inhibit hmg co-a reductase, the rate limiting enzyme in cholesterol synthesis. To maintain steady state cholesterol levels increased numbers of LDL receptors are made that bind and remove LDL particles from the circulation. In this way statins have been shown to significantly reduce heart attack, death from heart attack, and ischemic strokes in virtually every population studied.

Protection: Statin drugs do lower total cholesterol and ldl, but degree of decrease in cardiovascular events is more than the degree of cholesterol lowering. Some suggest that statins treat inflammation and give stability to plaques in the arteries so that they don't break open to cause blood clots to form and create a heart attack.

Statins/cv disease: Statin medications block the liver from producing cholesterol. Lower cholesterol should translate into less aggressive plaque formation in the arteries.