I cannot say that statins caused my
diabetes because I had diabetes when statins were prescribed. I can
say that I did ask to have to dose reduced because of muscle problems
I was having. Reducing the dose has helped and the muscle pain has
gone away.
The largest problem is that doctors are
prescribing statins willy-nilly and most are not doing a
benefits-harm analysis. In addition many doctors are not allowing
patients to even attempt to lower cholesterol levels by other means
or allowing them to eliminate statins when the have shown that they
have lowered their cholesterol levels. Many doctors are also trying
to increase the statin dose being taken by patients.
For many people, statin side effects
negate any benefits. The statin side effects include:
#1 Muscle pain and damage.
This is the most common side effect. You may feel this pain
as a soreness, tiredness, or weakness in your muscles. The pain can
be a mild discomfort, or it can be severe enough to make your daily
activities difficult. For example, you might find climbing stairs or
walking to be uncomfortable or tiring.
Very rarely, statins can cause
life-threatening muscle damage called rhabdomyolysis. Rhabdomyolysis
can cause severe muscle pain, liver damage, kidney failure, and
death. Rhabdomyolysis can occur when you take statins in combination
with certain drugs or if you take a high dose of statins.
#2 Liver damage.
Occasionally, statin use can cause your liver to increase
its production of enzymes that help you digest food, drinks, and
medications. If the increase is only mild, you can continue to take
the drug. Rarely, if the increase is severe, you may need to stop
taking the drug. Your doctor might suggest a different statin.
Certain other cholesterol-lowering drugs, such as gemfibrozil (Lopid)
and niacin (Niacor, Niaspan), slightly increase the risk of liver
problems in people who take statins.
#3 Digestive problems. Some
people taking a statin may develop nausea, gas, diarrhea, or
constipation after taking a statin. These side effects are rare.
Most people who have these side effects already have other problems
with their digestive system. Taking your statin medication in the
evening with a meal can reduce digestive side effects.
#4 Rash or flushing. You
could develop a rash or flushing after you start taking a statin. If
you take a statin and niacin, either in a combination pill such as
Simcor or as two separate medications, you're more likely to have
this side effect. Taking aspirin before taking your statin
medication may help, but talk to your doctor first.
#5 Increased blood sugar or
type 2 diabetes. It is possible your blood glucose level
may increase when you take a statin, which may lead to developing
type 2 diabetes. The risk level is being disputed, but important
enough that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a
warning on statin labels regarding blood glucose levels and diabetes.
Talk to your doctor if you have concerns.
#6 Neurological side effects.
The FDA warns on statin labels that some people have
developed memory loss or confusion while taking statins. These side
effects reverse once you stop taking the medication. Talk to your
doctor if you experience memory loss or confusion. There has also
been evidence that statins may help with brain function, in patients
with dementia or Alzheimer's, for example. This is still being
studied. Don't stop taking your statin medication before talking to
your doctor.
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:
- Taking multiple medications to lower your cholesterol
- Being female
- Having a smaller body frame
- Being age 65 or older
- Having kidney or liver disease
- Having type 1 or 2 diabetes
- Drinking too much alcohol (More than two drinks a day for men age 65 and younger and more than one drink a day for women of all ages and men older than 65)
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 produces all the cholesterol it needs by digesting food and
producing new cells on its own. When this natural production is
slowed, your body begins to draw the cholesterol it needs from the
food you eat, lowering your total cholesterol.
Statins may affect not only your
liver's production of cholesterol but also several enzymes in muscle
cells that are responsible for muscle growth. The effects of statins
on these cells may be the cause of muscle aches.
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