As we reach a certain age, many of us begin reaching for our pill bottles, as well as a nice glass of red.

With more than 10 million people in England now eligible for statins, the cholesterol lowering drugs (which are prescribed to reduce risk of cardiovascular diseases and prevent further damage for people who have already had a heart attack) it’s inevitable that some will want to keep enjoying the odd drink while taking their medications (although perhaps not simultaneously).

This is particularly true after the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) watchdog adjusted their guidelines in 2023 to lower the age of eligibility for statins down to 25, meaning that younger patients – especially those with underlying genetic risk factors – deemed to be at a higher short-term risk of heart problems can now be offered the drugs.

But can statins and alcohol really be combined? Are some worse than others? Or are they quite simply, a marriage made in hell?

Dr Raul Santos, a Brazilian cardiologist who serves as editor-in-chief for the World Heart Federation’s Global Heart Journal, is keen to emphasise that statins are, overall, extremely safe medications. “They’ve been used by millions of people for decades to reduce cholesterol, and prevent myocardial infarctions [the medical term for heart attacks] and stroke,” says Dr Santos.