{"id":5890,"date":"2019-09-18T09:00:08","date_gmt":"2019-09-18T13:00:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=5890"},"modified":"2022-08-24T11:53:48","modified_gmt":"2022-08-24T15:53:48","slug":"statin-side-effects","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/statin-side-effects\/","title":{"rendered":"The 4 possible side effects of statins (and how to combat them)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>It may seem like high cholesterol isn\u2019t a big deal\u2014after all, more than 102 million Americans over the age of 20 have a total cholesterol level that\u2019s over the normal range (200 mg\/dL), according to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/cholesterol\/cholesterol_education_month.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention<\/a> (CDC). Even worse, approximately 35 million of those adults have levels of 240 mg\/dL or higher, which puts them in the danger zone for developing cardiovascular disease. Just because it\u2019s common, doesn\u2019t mean you can ignore it if yours measures above healthy levels. It\u2019s very important to understand and manage your cholesterol\u2014potentially by using a treatment like statins.<\/p>\n<h2>What is cholesterol?<\/h2>\n<p>Cholesterol is a waxy substance that comes from the liver (the body naturally makes it) and from your diet (it\u2019s found in animal food sources, such as meat, eggs, and full-fat dairy). Cholesterol circulates through the bloodstream and is necessary for several bodily functions, including the production of hormones, vitamin D, and cell membranes. However, an excess of cholesterol in the blood\u2014namely low-density lipoprotein or LDL cholesterol\u2014can stick to the walls of the arteries and turn into plaque.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPlaque in our arteries can block blood flow and promote clot formation, which leads to heart damage (for example, a heart attack) and brain damage (a stroke),\u201d says Joshua Yamamoto, MD, cardiologist, co-founder of Foxhall Medicine in Washington, D.C., and author of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/You-Prevent-Stroke-Joshua-Yamamoto\/dp\/1948122405\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><em>You Can Prevent a Stroke<\/em><\/a>. \u201cIn fact, plaque growth is not a disease [called hypercholesterolemia]\u2014it is natural biology, the effect of time and age on our circulation.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>What are statins?<\/h2>\n<p>Statins, a class of drugs that lower cholesterol, have become the gold standard for treating hypercholesterolemia, explains <a href=\"https:\/\/www.columbiadoctors.org\/jennifer-h-haythe-md\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Dr. Jennifer Haythe, MD<\/a>, a cardiologist at NewYork-Presbyterian\/Columbia University Irving Medical Center. In fact, more than 11.6 million American adults are currently taking statin drugs for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), according to statistics from the latest <a href=\"https:\/\/healthmetrics.heart.org\/prevalence-and-number-of-us-adults-eligible-for-and-currently-using-statin-therapy-nhanes-2011-2014\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Popular statins include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/prescription\/crestor\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Crestor<\/a> (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/prescription\/rosuvastatin-calcium\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">rosuvastatin<\/a>)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/prescription\/lipitor\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Lipitor<\/a> (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/prescription\/atorvastatin-calcium\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">atorvastatin<\/a>)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/prescription\/zocor\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Zocor<\/a> (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/prescription\/simvastatin\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">simvastatin<\/a>)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/prescription\/pravachol\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Pravachol<\/a><u> (<\/u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/prescription\/pravastatin-sodium\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pravastatin<\/a><u>)<\/u><\/li>\n<li>Altoprev or Mevacor <u>(<\/u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/prescription\/lovastatin\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">lovastatin<\/a><u>)<\/u><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/prescription\/lescol-xl\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Lescol<\/a><u> (<\/u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/prescription\/fluvastatin-sodium\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">fluvastatin<\/a><u>)\u00a0<\/u><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/prescription\/livalo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Livalo<\/a><u> (<\/u>pitavastatin<u>)<\/u><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>How do statins work?<\/h2>\n<p>\u201cStatins work by not only blocking the enzyme that produces cholesterol, but also by helping the body reabsorb existing cholesterol,\u201d Dr. Haythe explains. Dr. Yamamoto adds that statins should be thought of as \u201cvascular protective medications\u201d since these meds have the ability to \u201cprotect arteries, prevent plaque growth, and\u2014most importantly\u2014prevent heart attacks, strokes, brain damage, and premature death.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>Side effects of statins<\/h2>\n<p>And while they\u2019re so common and approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), reactions can occasionally occur from the use of statins. (A December 2018 analysis released by the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.heart.org\/en\/news\/2018\/12\/10\/safety-of-statins-emphasized-in-new-report\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">American Heart Association<\/a> stated that the side effects of statins are rare\u2014and that the benefits outweigh the risks.) Here are possible side effects of statins:<\/p>\n<h3>1. Aches and pains<\/h3>\n<p>Both physicians we spoke to agree that aches and muscle pains (also called myalgia) are the number one complaint from patients, with anywhere between 4% and 10% of people being affected. \u201cIt\u2019s important to note that 1 in 20 of us are prone to easily develop muscle aches,\u201d Dr. Yamamoto adds.<\/p>\n<p>Certain lifestyle modifications can help lower risk of myopathy and muscle damage, including reducing vigorous exercise (since the intensity of the workouts could put strain on already-inflamed muscles) and taking a coenzyme Q10 dietary supplement.<\/p>\n<p>Dr. Yamamoto says that because CoQ10 is made in the muscles, statin therapy may deplete it from the system, resulting in muscle soreness. \u201cVegans tend to be more prone to the aches and pains associated with statin use since CoQ10 is naturally found in red meat,\u201d he says. \u201cBut keep in mind that being vegan in no way makes us immune from the effects of time, and the leading cause of death for vegans is still cardiovascular disease.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>2. High blood sugar<\/h3>\n<p>\u201cStatins can also increase blood sugar levels in people with metabolic syndrome, pre-diabetes or borderline blood sugar levels,\u201d Dr. Haythe explains. A 2017 study published in the journal <a href=\"https:\/\/drc.bmj.com\/content\/5\/1\/e000438\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><em>BMJ Open Diabetes Research &amp; Care<\/em><\/a> observed that statins were associated with \u201csignificantly higher rates of diabetes\u201d in patients who were at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes.<\/p>\n<h3>3. Elevated liver enzymes<\/h3>\n<p>Some patients will occasionally experience liver inflammation from taking statins, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mayoclinic.org\/diseases-conditions\/high-blood-cholesterol\/in-depth\/statin-side-effects\/art-20046013\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow noreferrer\">The Mayo Clinic<\/a>. Yet the numbers are small\u2014an article published in a 2013 edition of the journal <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3983981\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><em>Gastroenterology &amp; Hepatology<\/em><\/a> says that clinical trials show that statins have been linked with elevations in serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT, an enzyme found mostly in the liver and kidney) in an average of 3 percent of patients.<\/p>\n<p>Symptoms of liver damage include extreme fatigue, loss of appetite, pain in the upper body, urine that is dark in color, and\/or yellowing of the skin or eyes. If the liver enzyme increase is minimal, patients can continue taking statins, but if liver function becomes severely impacted, a different med will likely be prescribed.<\/p>\n<h3>4. Memory loss and confusion<\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.health.harvard.edu\/cholesterol\/new-findings-on-statin-memory-loss-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Harvard Medical School<\/a> points to a 2015 study published in<a href=\"https:\/\/jamanetwork.com\/journals\/jamainternalmedicine\/fullarticle\/2301148\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"> <em>JAMA Internal Medicine<\/em><\/a> that explored a possible connection between cholesterol-lowering medications and memory loss. After reviewing the medical records of approximately 11 million patients, the researchers discovered that adults who took statins (as well as any type of cholesterol drug) were about four times more likely to report cognitive impairment compared to those who weren\u2019t taking the same class of meds. However, Harvard adds that an association is unlikely \u201cgiven the fundamental differences in how statin and non-statin cholesterol drugs work.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, in a 2016 issue of the journal<a href=\"https:\/\/care.diabetesjournals.org\/content\/39\/Supplement_2\/S253\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"> <em>Diabetes Care<\/em><\/a>, study authors from Israel analyzed the results from similar observational and prospective randomized trials. Their findings: Reported cases of memory loss were rare, and the investigators concluded that a \u201ccausal relationship has yet to be established.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Other reported side effects from statins include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Headache<\/li>\n<li>Difficulty sleeping<\/li>\n<li>Nausea<\/li>\n<li>Dizziness<\/li>\n<li>Bloating<\/li>\n<li>Diarrhea<\/li>\n<li>Rhabdomyolysis<\/li>\n<li>Rash<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Risk factors for statin intolerance, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mayoclinic.org\/diseases-conditions\/high-blood-cholesterol\/in-depth\/statin-side-effects\/art-20046013\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow noreferrer\">the Mayo Clinic<\/a>, include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Are female<\/li>\n<li>Are over the age of 80<\/li>\n<li>Have a small body frame<\/li>\n<li>Have kidney failure or liver disease<\/li>\n<li>Have hypothyroidism or a neuromuscular disorder<\/li>\n<li>Take certain medications to treat cholesterol or infections<\/li>\n<li>Consume excessive alcohol<\/li>\n<li>Consume large amounts of grapefruit, including grapefruit juice<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Dr. Haythe says that some side effects of statins can be managed with the help of a clinician, who may suggest switching to a different statin or lowering the dosage of the medicine. Speak with your doctor if you\u2019re experiencing any adverse effects.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It may seem like high cholesterol isn\u2019t a big deal\u2014after all, more than 102 million Americans over the age of 20 have a total cholesterol level that\u2019s over the normal range (200 mg\/dL), according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Even worse, approximately 35 million of those adults have levels of 240 [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":78,"featured_media":53474,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4589],"tags":[737],"coauthors":[9530],"class_list":["post-5890","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-drug-info","tag-heart-health","wpautop"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.4 (Yoast SEO v27.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>4 possible statin side effects (and how to combat them)<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Statins lower cholesterol and improve heart health but there are some risk factors to consider. 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