Member: My doctor prescribed statin therapy drugs to help treat my high cholesterol (dyslipidemia), but I’ve heard of statins causing some bad side effects. How can I know that what I’m taking is safe and effective? —Charles, Grand Rapids
Anita: Hi, Charles. It’s natural to be concerned about side effects from medication, but remember that your doctor should have your best interests in mind. Statins can be very effective at treating various types of cardiovascular diseases, like your high cholesterol. They’re also helpful to people with diabetes, heart failure, coronary heart disease or congenital cardiovascular heart defects.
The main benefit to statins is they help lower your level of cholesterol, which is a fatty substance made by your liver. Bad cholesterol — or LDL — can leave behind fatty deposits in your arteries. These deposits can eventually build up, restrict your blood flow and increase your risk for a stroke or heart attack. If you have an existing deposit, statins can make it less likely to break off and cause a blood clot.
As with all medications, it’s true that statins can cause side effects. However, there are also many myths associated with statins. You may have heard that statins can destroy your muscle tissue. Though statins may rarely cause some aches and pains, it’s even more rare to develop a muscle breakdown.
Another common concern is that statin therapy can contribute to a diabetes diagnosis. The reality is that only a very small percentage of prediabetic people (0.2%) may have an increased risk. In patients with diabetes, it may increase A1C (blood sugar) by a very small amount (0.1%).
Memory loss is another common myth associated with statins. There’s simply not enough evidence to say that statins can affect cognitive function. In fact, statins can actually help prevent strokes, and strokes will often lead to dementia.
If you do feel like something is out of the ordinary while taking statins, consult your doctor or pharmacist. You know your body better than anyone else, so just keep an eye out for anything that feels unusual. Remember that while there are always risks to medications, your doctor prescribed them because they believe the benefits far outweigh any risks. Millions of Americans have benefited from taking statins, and I hope you will, too.
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