Aggressive cholesterol lowering has benefits: study

"In people with type 2 diabetes, intensive drug therapy to significantly lower 'bad' LDL cholesterol reduces the thickness of the carotid arteries, the major arteries in the neck that supply oxygen to the brain, research shows. The beneficial effect on the thickness of the neck arteries is similar in people who attain equivalent LDL cholesterol reductions by taking a statin drug alone or by taking a statin plus another cholesterol medicine called ezetimibe, the researchers found. Ezetimibe (Vytorin) pairs the statin drug Zocor with cholesterol fighter Zetia. However, the addition of ezetimibe may be required if a statin alone fails to lower LDL levels to target levels, they report in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology" - Reuters