... but statins could help

STATINS not only lower cholesterol, they may also improve the structure and function of the heart.

Patients on the cheap pill are less likely to have abnormally enlarged hearts, a sign of stress and weakness, scientists said.

Heart scans showed that those taking statins had smaller left ventricles. The results were a surprise, the researchers said, because such people would usually be expected to be in worse cardiovascular health – otherwise they would not be on the drugs.

The study from Queen Mary University of London was presented at the EuroCMR 2017 heart conference in Prague.