Statins are frequently prescribed by medical practitioners to patients with elevated cholesterol. Statins lessen the chance of a heart attack or stroke and help lower total cholesterol.
Among the statins are lovastatin (Altoprev), rosuvastatin (Crestor), pravastatin, fluvastatin (Lescol XL), atorvastatin (Lipitor), and simvastatin (Zocor).
The risk of heart attacks and strokes is increased when blood cholesterol levels are excessive. Statins prevent the liver’s need for an enzyme to produce cholesterol. As a result, the liver purges the blood of cholesterol.
Although most individuals find statins to be very safe and effective, some people have experienced stomach issues, muscle soreness, and mental fog. They may in rare cases damage the liver.
It is not advisable to abruptly cease taking statins if you believe you are having adverse effects. Consult your medical team to determine whether switching to a different medication or reducing the amount you take could be beneficial.
What side effects might statins cause?
pain and injury to muscles
Muscle soreness is among the most frequent complaints cited by statin users. Your muscles may feel sore, worn out, or weak as a result of this ache. The pain may be only a slight discomfort or it may be so severe that it interferes with your everyday activities.
Nonetheless, when it comes to people believing they experience muscle soreness from statins, researchers have discovered a “nocebo” effect. A “nocebo” effect occurs when individuals who are negatively predisposed to a medication report experiencing the possible side effect more frequently than the medication should.
Liver damage
On rare occasions, using statins may result in an elevation of the liver’s enzyme levels. These biomarkers indicate inflammation. If the rise is negligible, you can keep taking the medication. Rarely, you might need to try a different statin if the increase is really significant.
Your medical team could request a liver enzyme test before or soon after you start taking a statin, despite the rarity of liver issues. Additional liver enzyme testing won’t be necessary until you start exhibiting signs of liver dysfunction.
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Increased blood sugar or type 2 diabetes
When you take a statin, it’s conceivable that your blood glucose, also known as blood sugar, will rise. This could result in the onset of type 2 diabetes. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has warned about blood glucose levels and diabetes on statin labels due to a slight but significant risk.
When blood sugar levels are already higher than usual, the increase usually happens. When using a statin, those with diabetes or prediabetes may have an increase in blood sugar.
