Several drugs exist which lower cholesterol by inhibiting an enzyme in liver cells (hmg-coa reductase) that is involved in cholesterol synthesis. These all have generic names that end in -statin, e.g. Atorvastatin (lipitor) and Simvastatin (zocor).
Since nearly all of the meds in this class have been shown to have similar cardiovascular benefits, we often discuss them as a group: statins.
