Quora--No, statins are not the same as blood thinners--

Are statins the same as blood thinners? Sort

Profile photo for Mitch Pomorovski Mitch Pomorovski

Studied Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) (Graduated 2019)Author has 60 answers and 136.3K answer views6y

No, statins such as atorvastatin (Lipitor) as a class of medications known as HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors which work to inhibit the key step in cholesterol production in the body, hence they work to decrease the amount of cholesterol in the body and thus prevent heart attack, stroke, coronary/peripheral artery diseases and other related conditions.

Statins in no way behave like blood thinners.

Blood thinners as the name suggests work to thin the blood and work through many different means depending on the medication. These medications work to prevent clots forming in the blood, as these clots can lead to blockage of blood flow to key organs and strokes.

Common blood thinners include: Warfarin, Xarelto, Eliquis, Aspirin, Heparin 10.4K views View upvotes