Researchers discover why statins are ineffective in some patients

A prescription to buy Lipitor is one of the most effective ways to lower cholesterol levels. Yet, the medication doesn't work for all people. A team of researchers from Duke University recently found that this may have to do with levels of a certain bacteria in the gut.

Their study showed that individuals who have higher levels of certain bile-producing bacteria tend to have poorer responses to statin medications, which include Lipitor. The team said their findings could lead to the development of treatment guidelines that are personalized for each individual.

This could allow doctors to avoid providing a prescription to buy Lipitor to patients who will never benefit from it, thereby saving time and allow medical professionals to search for alternative treatments that have a chance of succeeding.

"This is personalized medicine - the effects of drugs and how we respond," said lead author Rima Kaddurah-Daouk. "We found that the benefit of statins could be partly related to the type of bacteria that lives in our guts. The reason we respond differently is not only our genetic makeup, but also our gut microbiome."