What are the pros and cons of taking a statin?
What are the pros and cons of statins?
- Statin benefits. Statins are drugs that reduce cholesterol. ...
- Statin side effects. Statins can be a beneficial treatment for many people. ...
- Complications. ...
- Things to consider. ...
- Other ways to lower cholesterol. ...
- Alternative medications. ...
- Summary. ...
What are the benefits of taking a statin?
- The Current Paradigm. Atherosclerosis does not affect all of us, and does not affect all those struck by it to the same extent or at similar age.
- Expected Benefits of Statin Use. ...
- Remaining Uncertainties. ...
- The Road Forward. ...
- Footnotes. ...
Are Statins worth the risk?
Statins are worth it for people who already have cardiovascular disease. Statins are also worth it for people who are at high risk for getting cardiovascular disease in the future. Statins are not worth it for people at low risk of cardiovascular disease.
Why statins are dangerous?
They Cause Muscle Damage Surprisingly, one of the most common side effects of statins is muscle pain, soreness, and weakness. It can even lead to a dangerous condition called rhabdomyolysis, which is a breakdown of muscle tissue.
How to prevent statin side effects?
What drugs interact with statins?
Can statins cause heart attacks?
Does statin help with heart attack?
Can statins cause liver damage?
Do statins increase blood sugar?
Can statins cause diabetes?
See more
About this website
Is taking statins worth the risk?
Research has shown that statins are highly effective in reducing the risk of fatal heart attack and stroke.
How much does statin reduce risk?
In a meta-analysis of 27 randomized trials and 174,000 participants, for every ~40 mg/dL LDL-C reduction with statin therapy, the relative risk of major adverse cardiovascular events is reduced by ~20-25%, and all-cause mortality is reduced by 10%.
What is the downside of taking statins for cholesterol?
A warning that people taking statins may experience increased blood sugar levels and may develop type 2 diabetes. People taking statins should have their blood-sugar levels checked regularly. A warning that those taking lovastatin, a type of statin medication, are at risk for muscle damage.
Do statins age you faster?
Statins may slow human aging by protecting against telomere shortening: A feature of senescent cells. Summary: Not only do statins extend lives by lowering cholesterol levels and reducing the risks of cardiovascular disease, but new research suggests that they may extend lifespans as well.
Why do doctors push statins?
Statins are the go-to treatment option for lowering cholesterol levels and risk of cardiovascular complications, like heart attack and stroke. Statins work by slowing down cholesterol production and enabling the liver to remove low-density lipoproteins (LDL), or “bad cholesterol,” from the bloodstream.
Are statins the best choice for me?
You should think carefully about taking a statin at the same time as starting those lifestyle changes. Statins are generally recommended for people who have CVD (such as people with angina or who have had a heart attack). But ultimately, the choice is yours.
What is the best natural alternative to statins?
Natural Alternatives to Statins: Foods That Help Lower CholesterolFoods high in soluble fiber and plant phytosterols, such as legumes, avocados, broccoli and other fruits and vegetables.Whole grains, including oatmeal, quinoa and barley.More items...•
What's the pros and cons of statins?
Statins are a group of drugs that can reduce high cholesterol, lowering the risk of atherosclerosis and heart problems. Statins typically cause mild side effects, if any, but these drugs can, rarely, cause significant, and even life threatening, adverse effects.
Are statins necessary?
Many people are at low risk for heart attack or stroke and do not need to take a statin. Statins are intended to be used by people at high risk of heart disease. They are the ones who derive significant benefit.
Does statins remove plaque from arteries?
Statins don't just lower cholesterol levels but also reduce the risk of fatty plaques breaking off from walls of your arteries, reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Do statins make you gain weight?
As with many medications, statins may cause side effects, including digestive problems, muscle pain and weakness, and cognitive dysfunction. Another side effect that's been linked to statins is weight gain.
Can statins weaken the heart?
Since statins can cause muscle damage, they could theoretically also harm the heart--which is, essentially, a big muscle--although there is no evidence that this is the case.
What Are Statin Side Effects?
One of the most common complaints of people taking statins is muscle pain. You may feel this pain as a soreness, tiredness or weakness in your musc...
Who's at Risk of Developing Statin Side Effects?
Not everyone who takes a statin will have side effects, but some people may be at a greater risk than are others. Risk factors include: 1. Taking m...
Drugs and Food That Interact With Statins
Grapefruit juice contains a chemical that can interfere with the enzymes that break down (metabolize) the statins in your digestive system. While y...
What Causes Statin Side Effects?
It's unclear what causes statin side effects, especially muscle pain.Statins work by slowing your body's production of cholesterol. Your body produ...
How to Relieve Statin Side Effects
To relieve statin side effects, your doctor may recommend several options. Discuss these steps with your doctor before trying them: 1. Take a brief...
Weigh The Risks and Benefits
Although statin side effects can be annoying, consider the benefits of taking a statin before you decide to stop taking your medication. Remember t...
Most Common Cholesterol Drug Side Effects (And How to Feel Better) - WebMD
There may be times when cholesterol medications make you feel less than your best. Learn how to manage side effects and when to talk to your doctor.
Statins Side Effects: Pain, Inflammation, and More - WebMD
WebMD looks at the common side effects associated with cholesterol-lowering statin drugs including potential warning signs.
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Statins and Leg Pain: What is the Connection? What is the ... - Angiologist
What is the connection between statins and leg pain? We don’t know how common muscle symptoms are with statins. In fact, we don’t understand the mechanism (there are theories).But, we do know that there are various levels of muscle symptoms associated with statins.
What about side effects?
It’s important to remember that all medicines have side effects, and statins are no exception.
What are the risks of heart disease?
Other factors that can raise your heart risk include: 1 If you have already had a heart attack or stroke 2 Smoking 3 Being overweight 4 Having a family history of heart disease or high cholesterol 5 Having high blood pressure 6 Having certain medical conditions, such as diabetes 7 Ethnicity
Is there anything else I can do to lower my cholesterol?
The good news is that yes, there are several things you can do reduce your cholesterol and delay the need to take cholesterol lowering medication or remove it altogether. In fact, according to NICE guidelines, lifestyle changes such as the ones described below should be tried first before considering starting taking statins.
The short answer - it depends..
Statins are worth it for people who already have cardiovascular disease.
Why trust us
Kevin O. Hwang, MD, MPH, is a board-certified internal medicine physician, primary care provider, and associate professor at UTHealth McGovern Medical School.
What is high cholesterol and who should care?
High cholesterol raises your risk of atherosclerosis, which is the buildup of plaque in your arteries. Arteries are the blood vessels that supply nutrients and oxygen to your body.
How we decided
We consulted guidelines from the ACA and AHA published in 2018 and 2019. These guidelines summarized decades of research on statins.
Keep in mind
The effect of statins on lifestyle habits needs to be better understood. There is some concern that people who start taking statins might reduce exercise and healthy eating — essentially “relying” on the statin to protect them.
Other choices
Other cholesterol-lowering medications are available for people who can’t or are unwilling to take a statin. Researchers are also studying whether combining one of these medications with a statin is better than taking only a statin:
How does statin affect blood flow?
Statins may impair blood clot formation by reducing the expression of tissue factor and platelet aggregation, diminishing the creation of thrombin and the expression of its receptor on the platelet surface. Furthermore, the levels and activity of procoagulant factors, including fibrinogen, and factors V, VII and XIII, decrease as well during statin treatment.
How much do statins reduce atrial fibrillation?
For example, small randomized trials have suggested that statins may reduce the rate of postoperative atrial fibrillation following cardiac surgery by as much as 50% .
What is the role of statins in cholesterol biosynthesis?
Statins block the rate limiting step of cholesterol synthesis in which 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMGC) is transformed to mevalonate by the enzyme HMGCR. However, the cholesterol biosynthetic pathway is also involved in the synthesis of dolichols, the production of ubiquinone (coenzyme Q10), and in the process of prenylation, an important post-transcriptional protein modification. Of note, dolichols are required for glycoprotein synthesis3and ubiquinone plays an important role in muscle cell energy production.4Furthermore, prenylation is required for activation of numerous proteins, including members of the GTPase family of molecular switches (e.g. CDC42, RAC or RHO), which have crucial roles in controlling multiple signaling pathways.5
What is the role of statins in atherosclerosis?
Atherosclerosis is a complex pathogenic process in which endothelial dysfunction, inflammation, and clot formation all play a role. As mentioned before, in addition to lowering cholesterol levels, statins inhibit other downstream products of the mevalonate pathway, causing the so-called pleiotropic effects.
Which statins have the lowest LDL?
Different statins have distinct properties, with pravastatin and simvastatin providing less LDL-lowering power (25–35% reduction at 20 mg dosing) than newer statins, like atorvastatin and rosuvastatin (40–50% reduction at 20 mg dosing).14
What enzyme is used to reduce cholesterol?
Statins inhibit the critical step of cholesterol synthesis in which 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMGC) is transformed to mevalonate by the enzyme HMGC reductase. By doing so, they have a potent lipid-lowering effect that reduces cardiovascular risk and decreases mortality.
When was the first statin invented?
In 1976, the Japanese microbiologist Akira Endo discovered the first statin as a product of the fungus Penicillium citrinumthat inhibited the activity of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase (HMGCR); this first molecule was named compactin.1Subsequently, researchers at Merck Research Laboratory discovered another HMGCR inhibitor derived from Aspergillus terrusthat was originally named mevinolin and later known as lovastatin.2This molecule was the first statin to be approved by the FDA. Since then, other drugs from the same family have been synthesized, revolutionizing the management of cardiovascular diseases.
What are the side effects of statins?
Side effects people experience may improve with time or by switching to another statin. Rare but serious side effects include: 1 Rhabdomyolysis is a serious condition in which cells of muscles become damaged. This is more likely to occur in people who are taking statins with other medications that carry a similar risk. 2 Liver damage can occur when statins cause an increase in liver enzymes that help digestion.
Why do you need a statin?
You also may be prescribed a statin if you have high cholesterol you’ve not be able to get under control with diet, exercise, or weight loss. Statins are a class of drugs that lower the levels of artery-clogging LDL (“bad”) cholesterol in the bloodstream. Reducing LDL decreases the risk of heart attacks and strokes, ...
How do statins work?
Statins work by inhibiting an enzyme that your liver needs to produce LDL cholesterol. Statins also minimally increase HDL (“good”) cholesterol, which is responsible for moving bad cholesterol from your arteries back to the liver.
How does LDL cholesterol travel?
Cholesterol travels via your bloodstream. This is where LDL cholesterol can form plaques. Plaques are thick, hard deposits that cling to the walls of arteries and restrict blood flow. They also can break off. When this happens the body forms blood clots, which can lead to stroke and other serious health conditions.
Why are statins used?
Statins are widely used. Cardiovascular disease (CVD), or disease of the heart and blood vessels, is the leading cause of death in the United States. That is why statins widely used given the impact of CVD on public health and that statins are effective and tolerated well by most people. A report in the New England Journal ...
What is the LDL level of a person with diabetes?
people diagnosed with cardiovascular disease. people with high levels of LDL (greater than 190 mg/dL) people with diabetes between the ages of 40 and 75 who have elevated LDL levels (70 to 189 mg/dL), but haven’t been diagnosed with CVS.
How many randomized controlled trials are there for statins?
The American Heart Association journal, Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, published a report on an analysis of 135 randomized controlled trials. Researchers found that side effects varied depending on which statin a person took.
How to prevent statin side effects?
Try coenzyme Q10 supplements. Coenzyme Q10 supplements may help prevent statin side effects in some people, though more studies are needed to determine any benefits of taking it. Talk to your doctor first to make sure the supplement won't interact with any of your other medications.
What drugs interact with statins?
Some drugs that may interact with statins and increase your risk of side effects include: Amiodarone (Cordarone, Pacerone), a medication for irregular heart rhythms. Gemfibrozil (Lopid), another variety of cholesterol drug.
Can statins cause heart attacks?
Having too much cholesterol in your blood increases your risk of heart attacks and strokes. Statins block a substance your liver needs to make cholesterol. This causes your liver to remove cholesterol from your blood. If you think you're experiencing side effects from statins, don't just stop taking the pills.
Does statin help with heart attack?
Sign up now. Statin side effects: Weigh the benefits and risks. Statins are effective at lowering cholesterol and protecting against a heart attack and stroke, although they may lead to side effects for some people. By Mayo Clinic Staff.
Can statins cause liver damage?
While statins are highly effective and safe for most people, they have been linked to muscle pain, digestive problems and mental fuzziness in some people who take them and may rarely cause liver damage.
Do statins increase blood sugar?
Statins prevent heart attacks in people with diabetes, so the relevance of the mild increase in sugar values with statins observed in some people is unclear. The benefit of taking statins likely outweighs the small risk to have the blood sugar level go up. Talk to your doctor if you have concerns.
Can statins cause diabetes?
It's possible your blood sugar ( blood glucose) level may increase when you take a statin, which may lead to developing type 2 diabetes. The risk is small but important enough that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a warning on statin labels regarding blood glucose levels and diabetes.
