Statin Side Effects
Statin use can sometimes be uncomfortable or even risky for some patients. Therefore, they should be prescribed with care by an experienced professional. You should contact your health care provider if you believe you experience one or more of these side effects after taking statins. Adverse effects of statins include:
Muscle pain and damage
Muscle pain is the most common side effect of statins. The pain may be felt as a soreness, tiredness or muscle weakness. The pain can range from mild discomfort to severe pain that restricts daily activities. A simple task such as climbing stairs may become painful and tiring. A serious but very rare side effect of statins is called rhabdomyolysis (muscle damage). Luckily, the incidence of this side effect is only one per 15 million prescriptions. Rhabdomyolysis can in turn cause damage to the liver, failure of kidneys and even death. The risk of Rhabdomyolysis may increase when statins are used in combination with certain other drugs.
Liver damage
Occasionally, statins may increase the production of liver enzymes. A mild increase is usually not a problem and drug use can be continued. On the other hand, drug use may be discontinued if the increase in enzyme levels is severe as revealed in blood tests. Enzyme levels tend to go back to normal levels after cessation of statin use. Another choice is to try some other statin drug and follow up on the condition. Persistently increased liver enzymes can cause permanent liver damage; therefore, constant follow up is necessary. Using certain other cholesterol-lowering drugs together with statins can increase the risk of liver prblems. Liver function tests should be done six weeks after the beginning to statin treatment to check the enzyme levels. Liver damage can be asymptomatic and a liver function test is the only reliable way to detect any liver changes. The same tests are done again every three to six months for the first year of treatment, especially if the statin dose is increased.
Digestive problems
Statins may cause nausea, diarrhea and/or constipation. These side effects are usually rare. Those problem occur more commonly in patients who already other problems in the digestive system. Taking statins with a meal can reduce these side effects.
Rash or flushing
Rash or flushing may after taking a statin drug. These side effects are more common if a statin is taken with niacin, either as two separate medications or in one pill such as. Takin an Aspirin tablet before statin may reduce these effects but the doctor should be consulted first.
Neurological side effects
A large-scale study that was conducted in Denmark revealed that people who used statins are more likely to develop peripheral neuropathy (polyneuropathy), a condition that is characterized by weakness and pain in hands and feet as well as walking difficulty. Other studies showed that people who have been taking statin drugs for two or more years have a four to fourteen-fold increased risk of developing idiopathic neuropathy. Nerve damage is often reversible and does not heal after stopping statin treatment. On the other hand, some studies ruled out any association between statin use and neurological problems such as memory loss or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) - Lou Gehrig's disease.
