In the statin-only group, 3.8 percent had a heart attack, stroke or heart-related death compared with 3.6 percent who took a statin plus blood pressure-lowering medicine. The rate of those same outcomes was 4.6 percent in participants taking only blood pressure drugs and 5 percent among those taking placebos.
In general, statins are very well tolerated and about 85-90% of patients report no side effects. However, there are a few side effects that tend to raise concern among patients when considering the need for one these medications.
If they don't take statins, about 3 out of 100 will have a heart attack or stroke. This means that about 97 out of 100 won't. If they do take statins, about 2 out of 100 will have a heart attack or stroke. This means that about 98 out of 100 won't.
Statins can stabilize cholesterol plaque already attached to artery walls, making it less likely to get worse or rupture, causing a heart attack or stroke. "Statins also help remove cholesterol from you blood by causing the liver to express more LDL cholesterol receptors that take cholesterol out of your blood," Dr.
Taking statins can enable you to live years longer. That's because for every millimole per liter you drop your bad LDL cholesterol, you may live three years longer––maybe even six years longer, depending on which study you're reading.
Although there are some potential side effects long-term for statins, in most cases, if your doctor has identified you as having high cholesterol and needing a statin, the benefits greatly outweigh the risks. Muscle aches are among the most common complaints.
It's important to know that stopping statins cold turkey, or even gradually, can cause serious health problems and you should talk to your doctor before doing so.
Because many factors are involved, your cholesterol numbers may be considered normal and yet you may still be found to be at an elevated risk for heart problems. As a result, statin medications are now used to lower the risk of heart disease and heart events in most anyone found to be at high risk.
Statin use has been linked to a higher risk of developing diabetes because the medication can fuel mild glucose elevations in predisposed individuals — an effect that can often be countervailed by exercise and losing as little as a few pounds.
Statins are effective, accessible, and affordable. However, well-known side effects like muscle pain keep some people from taking them.
Clinician Summary. What does the USPSTF recommend? For adults aged 40 to 75 years who have 1 or more cardiovascular risk factors (ie, dyslipidemia, diabetes, hypertension, or smoking) and an estimated 10-year cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk of 10% or greater: Initiate a statin.
No surprise there. But half of men, ages to 65 to 74, and 39% of women, ages 75 and older—that's pretty stunning. Combine the 45+ age groups and both genders, and it comes out that one in four Americans, ages 45 and older, are taking a statin. There are roughly 127 million Americans over age 45.
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. Some people may be able to reduce their cholesterol to safe levels by changing their diet, or exercising more.
Over 20 percent refused to take statin medications when first offered the medication even though they were all considered high risk. Women were 20 percent more likely than men to refuse initially: 24.1 percent versus 19.7 percent.
Providers prescribe statins for people who: Have high cholesterol (LDL above 190 mg/dL) that exercise and diet changes couldn't reduce. Had a stroke, heart attack or peripheral artery disease. Have diabetes and an LDL of at least 70 mg/dL and are 40 to 75 years old.
It's possible, although unlikely, that one particular statin may cause side effects for you while another statin won't. It's thought that simvastatin (Zocor) may be more likely to cause muscle pain as a side effect than other statins when it's taken at high doses.
If you're taking a statin medication to lower your cholesterol, you will need to keep taking your prescription, or your cholesterol will likely go back up. Stopping your statin can put you at risk of having heart disease and other preventable health problems like stroke and heart attack from high cholesterol.
You usually have to continue taking statins for life because if you stop taking them, your cholesterol will return to a high level. If you forget to take your dose, do not take an extra one to make up for it. Just take your next dose as usual the following day.
Statin drugs have been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in young and middle-aged adults. With older adults (those 75 and over), the benefits are less clear. But a recent study published in the European Heart Journal suggests that there is in fact a benefit to statin use in this older population.
Statin use is associated with increased calorie intake and consequent weight gain. It is speculated that statin‐dependent improvements in lipid profile may undermine the perceived need to follow lipid‐lowering and other dietary recommendations leading consequently to increased calorie intake.