The UK's Daily Mail (1/15, Hagan) reports that, according to a study published in the Annals of Epidemiology, "statins could cut the chances of developing cataracts by nearly 40 percent." In a "study of 180,000 people," Israeli researchers found that "men aged between 45 and 54 who took the cholesterol-lowering pills virtually every day reduced their risk of cataracts later in life by 38 percent, compared with those who took them rarely." Meanwhile, "in women of the same age, the risk was reduced by about 18 percent."

        Statins may reduce stroke risk. HealthDay (1/14, Edelson) reported that statins may reduce the risk of stroke, according to a study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. Investigators looked at "data from clinical trials including almost 267,000 participants." The research "showed an overall 12 percent reduction in stroke incidence among those taking statins, with each one percent reduction in total cholesterol predicting a 0.8 percent relative risk reduction of stroke."