the perioperative effects of statins in non cardiac surgeries

background: statins (3-hydroxy-3-methylglutarylcoenzyme-a (hmg-coa) reductase inhibitors) decrease cardiovascular mortality and morbidity. this article reviews the role of perioperative statins in non cardiac surgery. methods: a literature review was done on all english published articles till february 2015 about this subject using pubmed. then the reference list of relevant articles was reviewed for additional resources. results: current evidence shows that not only statins decrease perioperative morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing non cardiac surgery, but also they seem safe during perioperative period. conclusion: a properly designed randomized control trial should be performed to assess the perioperative benefits of statins in non cardiac surgery.