"There are always two sides to every story" is a famous saying that American philosopher-theologian Jonathan Edwards coined in his 1738 sermon "Charity & Its Fruits."

Recent news about the lack of effectiveness of aspirin for preventing "major cardiovascular events" in people with a specific risk factor called non-obstructive coronary artery disease (they have plaque build-up, but it is causing less than a 50% narrowing of the coronary arteries) completely misses the other side of that story — statins do a really good job of it.

A study in the journal Radiology: Cardiothoracic Imaging looked a 6,300 people around age 56 for just under six years and found that aspirin didn't prevent heart attack or stroke for those with that form of coronary artery disease, but that statins did lower their risk by more than 40%.

Among the control group with no coronary artery disease, taking aspirin or statins didn't affect the risk for heart attack or stroke at all.

If you've been diagnosed with non-obstructive coronary artery disease, taking a statin can be a life saver. Plus, statins help improve oral health by reducing the risk of chronic periodontitis and preventing bone loss; they help prevent cancers such as early stage breast and colorectal cancer, multiple myeloma, and liver and oral cancers; and they may even soothe autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus.

So if you have non-obstructive coronary artery disease, keep taking your statin or talk to your doctor about starting one.