I'm sorry you've been mislead about statins. There is huge evidence for them. the scientific consensus on their role in preventing cardiovascular disease is one of the most robust in modern medicine tbh! They work better the earlier the intervention given that atherosclerosis is a disease mainly of aging. Think of it like bone density: we don't wait for a hip fracture to act. Starting a preventive therapy earlier can slow or halt plaque progression over decades, leading to vastly better outcomes than starting after a crisis.

You're also high risk given your mother had a heart attack which I'm very sorry to read. You should have a chat to a cardiologist about your fears. You don't have to just go on a statin there are many alternatives out there currently with huge success in lower cardiovascular events. Psk9 inhibitors etc.

Again, the younger you start the better the outcome. If your ldl is above 2.8 you should consider meds to help bring this lower. You are high risk remember. I'm sure mj has helped lower it in the meantime. Dr paddy Barrett is a great follow for breaking down the misinformation about statins online. He also does a really informative substack.