Stem Cells, Statins
It seems that at least some of the high-level benefits of statin drugs for heart disease patients may come from their effects on stem cells: "pravastatin, the generic name of one of the statins currently prescribed to lower cholesterol, increased the concentration of endogenous stem cells that may participate in cardiac repair independent of any cholesterol-lowering action. ... In addition, many newly formed myocytes -- heart muscle cells that aid in repair of damaged tissue -- were detected. While increased stem cells were seen after pravastatin in normal hearts as well, they only resulted in myocyte growth and development in diseased hearts." This is interesting; how many other treatments might have accidental stem cell contributions?
Link: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=33769