What are the advantages of taking statins?
Statins are effective at lowering cholesterol and protecting against a heart attack and stroke, although they may lead to side effects for some people. Doctors often prescribe statins for people with high cholesterol to lower their total cholesterol and reduce their risk of a heart attack or stroke.
What are the positive side effects of statins?
The Mayo Clinic reports that, in addition to inhibiting cholesterol synthesis, statins may encourage the body to reabsorb existing cholesterol. Experts believe statins reduce serum LDL levels and prevent plaque build-up in artery walls, thus protecting against blocked blood vessels and heart attack.
Do the benefits of statins outweigh the risks?
The large benefit of taking statins to prevent heart attacks and strokes likely outweighs the small risk associated with an elevated blood sugar level.
Are statins a good thing?
Research has shown that statins are highly effective in reducing the risk of fatal heart attack and stroke. But some people are reluctant to take these life-saving drugs. They worry about taking medicine every day for the rest of their life or have heard that statins have undesirable side effects.
What is the downside to taking statins?
According to the Mayo Clinic, the most common side effect of statins is muscle and joint aches and pains. The medication can also cause nausea and vomiting. More serious side effects include liver and kidney damage, an increase in blood sugar, and neurological side effects.
What foods should be avoided when taking statins?
While taking atorvastatin (Lipitor), avoid high-fat and high-cholesterol foods as part of your overall treatment. You should avoid large quantities of grapefruit or grapefruit juice, which can increase the risk of serious side effects. Also, avoid excess alcohol use, as this may cause serious liver problems.
Do statins make you put on weight?
As with many medications, statins may cause side effects, including digestive problems, muscle pain and weakness, and cognitive dysfunction. Another side effect that’s been linked to statins is weight gain.
Can you eat oranges on statins?
Seville oranges, limes, and pomelos also contain this chemical and should be avoided if you’re taking statins.
Do statins make you wee a lot?
The study also found that statins were linked to fewer sleep disturbances, but an increase in reports of needing to urinate at night and urinate more frequently, while there were too few reports of cognitive problems to draw any conclusions.
What are the Common side effects of statins?
Most people who take statin drugs tolerate them very well. But some people experience side effects. The most common statin side effects include: Headache. Difficulty sleeping. Flushing of the skin. Muscle aches, tenderness, or weakness (myalgia) Drowsiness.
Who benefits most from statins?
The higher the risk, the greater the potential benefit from a statin. Statins are a family of medications that lower cholesterol. Even more important, they lower the chances of having a heart attack or stroke.
What are the side effects of a statin?
The most common side effects of statins are muscle weakness, muscle pain and muscle inflammation. It’s usually felt as a soreness, tiredness or weakness in your muscles.
The benefits of using the cholesterol-lowering drugs known as statins greatly outweigh any risks associated with them, as side-effect rates have been greatly exaggerated, according to a new analysis of studies. The review does concede that serious side effects can be caused by long-term statin use.