Editor's Choice Academic Journal Main Category: Statins Also Included In: Cardiovascular / Cardiology;Cholesterol Article Date: 02 Apr 2013 - 0:00 PDT Current ratings for: Statin Side Effects Are Usually Overcome The authors believe that the majority of statin-related side effects are bearable and probably have other causes. It is possible that they may be specific to the individual statin medication, rather than the entire drug class, they added. This is important, because quitting statins forever can significantly raise a patient's risk of serious heart problems. Patients and their doctors need to think carefully before changing their prescription program. In a previous study, researchers at the Center for Healthy Aging at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, reported in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology that an estimated 75% of patients on statins report symptoms of muscle pain, which can lead to problems with adherence (compliance). The researchers in this latest study explained, as background information, that patients often give up taking their statins because of the side effects. However, studies on why this occurs have been limited. Dr. Alexander Turchin and team set out to determine why people discontinued their statin therapy, as well as listing the type of … Continue reading →

By Deborah Kotz, Globe Staff Statins have a great track record for lowering cholesterol and helping heart disease patients live longer, but about half of those taking statins stop taking the drugs at some point -- often due to side effects. Now a Brigham and Womens Hospital study suggests that more than 90 percent of patients who go back on statins dont have the same troubles the second time around. What we found is that if someone has to go off of a statin due to side effects like muscle aches, it may be worth trying the drug again, especially if a person has had a previous heart attack or stroke or has established heart disease, said Dr. Alexander Turchin, the senior author of the study and an endocrinologist at the Brigham. Those with diabetes or those who have very elevated cholesterol levels -- a low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol level of greater than 160 milligrams per deciliter -- should also seriously consider re-starting a statin if they had previous mild side effects, because theyre also at increased risk of having a future heart attack or stroke, Turchin recommended. He and his colleagues examined electronic medical records from nearly 108,000 … Continue reading →

By Genevra Pittman NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Most people who stop taking cholesterol-lowering statins - because of side effects or for another reason - are able to restart the same drug or a similar one without lasting problems, a new study suggests. That's important because for people who need statins, quitting them for good increases the chance of serious heart problems, researchers said, so doctors and patients should think carefully before letting milder reactions lead them to give up on the drugs altogether. "It's really common that patients hear from their friends or read on the Internet that there are all these side effects and they say, I'll never take a statin again,'" said Dr. Alexander Turchin, who worked on the new study at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. But most side effects are "not an absolute contraindication," he told Reuters Health. "There might be a way around it, so it's really worth giving it at least one more try." About one-quarter of U.S. adults age 45 and older take statins to protect against heart attacks and strokes. The drugs are especially recommended for people with diabetes or a history of cardiovascular problems. They run anywhere from $11 … Continue reading →