my dad has stopped taking the Statins!

Good question!, personally i would say go and get him to talk to his doctor. I would be very unhappy if I was prescribed (?) statins as personally my view is anti statin, from all the reading that i have done. If I were put on them... I would need a thorough chat and would take them if convinced. I would expect people to give various opinions and I have given mine... I am biassed... so get the doctor to advise and encourage and explain. Also do your own reading to see why your dad has this opinion... perhaps between you you can ask the right questions of the doctor and the internet to get your answer. Sorry if i am not helping, but that is my honest advice.

Statins play an important role in reducing cholestrol which in turn prevents plaque from building up in the coronary arteries, Like all medications they come with their risks and benefits along with side effects.

I can't tolerate any Statin as I get the common side effect from them and that is calf muscle aches and knee joint pains and I can hardly walk , One statin I had a reasonably rare side effect and that was an AMI.

The whole theory of using Statins is to reduce cholestrol therefore theoretically reduce Angina. Angina can quickly turn into a heart attack so I'd be trying to get your Dad to go back to the doctors and perhaps ask your Dad if you could tag along and ask his doctor questions yourself, worth a shot but we can't make people do things

I would say as Sam did, go to the doctor and discuss his fears and worries and your own worries. You are right stats can be misrepresented very easily or indeed not understood. if the stats show a 1 in 1000 chance of getting mental illness within 20 years well being blunt at your dads age it isnt really likely to have an impact, perhaps look at why the statins were prescribed and change some aspects of his diet will also have a positive effect which itself removes some of the risk of taking statins. We take greater risks crossing the road. Yes Statins have side effects but look at the actual risks if no side effects and the chances are low that they will have any other damage but they have a positive impact on health then better health is better? However, see the doctor, discuss the risks and the actual stats in relation to your dad and decide from there as Sam suggested.

Aside from statins lowering cholesterol, they actually make the inside lining of the coronary arteries less "sticky" so the plaques and platelets that would usually stick to the walls have a more difficult time doing so.  I don't have have high cholesterol, but due to my angina and have a couple heart attacks from the angina, I take a statin.  Here's the thing with reading the insert in your medication package:  If a patient complained of anything, or developed another condition while taking that medication, whether there is ANY information to prove that there is a connection, they are required to include it in the packaging.  As it souncs like you are already aware, when docs prescribe meds, it's always a balacing act- given this patients personal situation, what therapies provide the best risk of positive to degative outcomes.  Legally, as much as it flat out sucks at times, you can't make your father go to the doctor, nor can the doc provide any info for you, unless you have power of attorney.  Sometimes, if you know the doc personally, they'll listen to what you have to say over the phone and discuss it with the patient, but that is not the norm.  Ask your father to humor you and go to the visit together.  Tell him that if the doc states that it isn't that important for him, you'll never bring it up to him again.  He do it, though in his eyes, just to get you off his back.  Good luck with this one.  No easy answer.

Blessings,

Cathy