Several studies done over the past 2 decades didn’t find this. Most people who take statin drugs tolerate them very well. Some older ones might reduce cholesterol by 25% to 35%, while newer ones may reduce it by up to 50%. Grapefruit may interact with atorvastatin and cause side effects. Avoid consuming grapefruit products and drinking more than 1.2 liters of grapefruit juice each day.

Primary prevention

Some people have an interaction with another medicine while taking statins. Whenever your provider considers prescribing medication for you, it’s important to tell them what else you’re taking. That includes other prescription drugs, medicines you buy without a prescription, vitamins, herbs, supplements and recreational drugs. There are many drugs that may interact with statins, so be sure your health care professional is aware of all the medicines you take before starting with statins.

Increased risk of diabetes

There also has been evidence that statins may help with brain function — in people with dementia, for example. Don’t stop taking your statin medicine before talking to your health care professional. Does an extra dandruff symptoms and causes month of life after six years of drug use seem worthwhile? We would love to know your thoughts in the comment section below. We would also be grateful if you would vote on this article at the top of the page.

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Liver damage is another potential side effect of statin therapy. Most people can take statins without too many side effects, but side effects can occur. It‘s hard to say if one type of statin will cause more side effects for you than another. If you have lasting side effects, your doctor may be able to adjust your dosage or recommend a different statin. Statins have anti-inflammatory properties that affect blood vessels, the heart, and the brain.

Rethinking HDL cholesterol

This causes cholesterol-containing plaques to build up in the arteries and block blood flow. The bigger concern with alcohol and statin use comes if you drink often or drink a lot, or if you have liver disease. In those cases, the combination of alcohol and statin use could be dangerous and lead to more serious liver damage. If you drink or have liver disease, be sure to ask your doctor about your risk.

Still, there are other things you can’t change, like your age and your genes. Although diet and exercise are a must, they aren’t enough for everyone. Still, overhauling your habits might mean that you can take less medication, which virtual meeting schedule can mean a lower risk of side effects. Statins inhibit an enzyme called HMG-CoA reductase, which controls cholesterol production in the liver. The medicine blocks the enzyme, thereby slowing down the cholesterol production process.

For example, if your cholesterol levels do not respond as they should to treatment with just a statin, your doctor may have you take a drug that combines a statin with ezetimibe. However, high intensity statin use had links with a higher risk of diabetes in one study. Overall, statins do not have an association with serious side effects like muscle pain or liver issues. Experts recommend initiating statin treatment for those with LDL cholesterol levels of at least 190 milligrams per decilitre (mg/dL).

These changes may not lower your cholesterol to ideal levels, but they could help lower them, reducing the amount of medication you need. Atorvastatin can cause the breakdown of muscle tissue, which can lead to kidney failure. This happens more often in women, in older adults, or people who have kidney disease or poorly controlled hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid). This medicine can cause the breakdown of muscle tissue, which can lead to kidney failure. Call your doctor right away if you have unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness especially if you also have fever, unusual tiredness, or dark urine. Atorvastatin calcium can cause the breakdown of muscle tissue, which can lead to kidney failure.

However, some may be able to stop if they successfully lower their cholesterol levels through diet, weight loss, exercise, or some other means. Research indicates that statin drugs do not induce diabetes in someone who isn’t already nearing a diabetes diagnosis. “Additionally, the benefits of reducing cardiac events in someone who has prediabetes or is diabetic greatly outweigh the mild increase that might occur in their blood sugar,” says Martin.

1. But for many older adults, the benefits of statins for preventing heart attack and stroke outweigh this risk.
2. Statins block an enzyme in your body that creates cholesterol.
3. If you take multiple medications, your doctor might recommend a statin that is less likely to interact with other drugs, such as pravastatin and rosuvastatin.
4. If you take one, you can expect your LDL cholesterol to drop by anywhere from 35% to 50% or more, depending on the type of statin you take and your dose, Nissen says.
5. Many people choose to take coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) along with their statins.

This material is provided for educational purposes only and is not intended for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Data sources include Micromedex (updated 7 Jul 2024), Cerner Multum™ (updated 14 Jul 2024), ASHP (updated 10 Jul 2024) and others. Some statins may not be suitable for some people including those with a recent history of stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA). People with active liver disease or who are pregnant or breastfeeding should not take statins. Pitavastatin has a similar effectiveness to atorvastatin but reportedly produces greater increases in HDL-cholesterol that are sustained over the long-term. It is effective at low dosages and has minimal drug interactions.

Some people report sleep problems while taking statins, but research hasn‘t shown a clear connection. Grapefruit can interact with certain statins, increasing the concentration of statins in your blood. You won’t be able to judge whether your statin is working based on how lyrica addiction: detox withdrawal & treatment you feel. So, it’s important to keep appointments with your doctor to monitor your statin therapy. These drugs all come in either a tablet or capsule that you take by mouth. In addition to statin-only drugs, some drugs include a statin in combination with another drug.

It’s important not to stop taking your statin and to report any muscle side effects to your physician. Your doctor may switch you to a less-potent statin, change the dose, or explore alternative dosing strategies. This may include taking the drugs every other day or less frequently. With some perseverance, you and your physician can develop a statin regimen that works for you. “I’m not [using them], and nobody else is, either,” says Steven Nissen, MD, chairman of the department of cardiovascular medicine at the Cleveland Clinic.

Atorvastatin and fluvastatin are preferred in people with kidney disease. Pravastatin and fluvastatin have a lower risk of drug interactions because they are not metabolized by cytochrome p450 3A4. Atorvastatin and fluvastatin are considered the most cost-effective statins. Health care professionals often prescribe statins for people with high cholesterol.

“They were already at very high risk thanks to metabolic syndrome, being overweight, or other factors.” A healthier lifestyle is still definitely part of the plan. But the statin question changed a bit when the American Heart Association (AHA) and American College of Cardiology (ACC) updated their guidelines. People usually continue taking statins even after reaching their target cholesterol level to maintain the protection against atherosclerosis.