There may be a weak correlation of elevated cholesterol with heart attacks, however this does not mean it is the cholesterol that caused the heart attack. Certainly grey hair is correlated with getting older; however one could hardly say that the grey hair caused one to get old. Cholesterol as such is not the major culprit in heart disease or any disease. If the LDL component dominates, If it becomes oxidized it can irritate/inflame tissues in which it is lodged in, such as the endothelium (lining of the arteries). This would be one of numerous causes of chronic inflammation that can injure the lining of arteries. In fact, cholesterol is being transported to tissues as part of an inflammatory response that is there to repair damage. [excellent further reading: Taubes G 2001, 'The soft science of dietary fat', Science, vol. 291, pp. 801-802.]
Recent studies [Mozaffarian D., R.E.&.H.D. 2004, 'Dietary fats, carbohydrate, and progression of coronary atherosclerosis in postmenopausal women', American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, vol. 80, no. 5, pp. 1102-1103.] show, that saturated fat intake is actually protective and not related with cholesterol levels.
The pressure on lowering cholesterol levels has many combining interests. And there is pressure on doctors to treat their patients more aggressively by using higher doses of statin drugs to reduce cholesterol levels in people with heart disease. [New England Journal of Medicine March 8, 2004]

It is important to understand that statins do effectively lower cholesterol levels. There is no argument that these drugs work but they in no way shape or form treat the cause of the problem. They are nothing more than a potentially toxic band-aid. When you chose not to address the cause of the problem, the underlying condition that is causing the risk factor will crop up and eventually cause other diseases.
So just what is the problem with statins? Well they are non-specific inhibitors of a number of very important liver enzymes. The enzyme they are used for is called HMG Coenzyme A reductase. This is the enzyme that causes your liver to make cholesterol when it is stimulated by high insulin levels.
So you can shut down the enzyme that makes cholesterol or chose to reduce your insulin levels by eliminating sugar and refined grains and not cause this important enzyme to be blocked in the first place. It is important to understand that statins not only block HMG coenzyme A reductase but they also block Coenzyme Q 10.
CoQ10 is a vital enzyme that your body needs for energy and cardiovascular health. It is widely recommended to repair heart damage, boost the function of the heart and act as a protecting agent against heart attacks and valve damage. Additionally, CoQ10 has been shown to be beneficial in heart and lung cancer, as well as maintain cognitive function.

Statin drugs are not the only way to lower your LDL cholesterol. Recently researchers have confirmed that a diet rich in fibre and vegetables works just as well at controlling your increased cholesterol levels.