Covid-19 patients who were taking statins almost halved their chances of dying, research suggests.
Patients on the cholesterol-lowering pill taken by six million Brits were also less likely to need to be put on a ventilator.
Chinese researchers analysed data on 14,000 Covid-19 patients at 21 hospitals in Hubei Province where the pandemic originated.
Just 5.2% of those on statins died in the following 28 days compared to 9.4% not on the 3p a day pill. This was a 45% fall in mortality rate.
Author Hongliang Li, of Wuhan University, said: “These results support the safety and potential benefits of statin therapy in hospitalised patients and provide a rationale for prospective studies to determine whether statins confer protection against Covid-19-associated mortality.”
Patients on statins were also less likely to suffer more severe symptoms, or need to be admitted on to intensive care wards.
The drug costs just 3p a day and reduces levels of bad cholesterol, preventing the build-up of fatty deposits in blood vessels.
Around six million adults in the UK are currently taking statins and experts say another six million high risk patients should be on them.
Statins have been shown to reduce lung damage in previous animal studies.
Among the patients studied, 1,219 used statins, primarily a form called atorvastatin at an average dose of 20 mg/day.
Prof Naveed Sattar, of Glasgow University, said: “This observational study is of some interest but it is far from proving statins lower risk of COVID-19 related mortality.
“In some countries, generally better educated people are more commonly on statins, and there is now ample data to show less affluent people have poorer outcomes from Covid-19.
“If further observational studies point in same direction, then such randomised clinical trials should be conducted.”
