
Statins are cholesterol-lowering drugs, but like every drug, there are some side effects too. To avoid this, consulting a physician before taking any form of drugs or medication is advisable.
Cholesterol is good for health as long as it is ‘good cholesterol’. It implies, as long as the high density lipoproteins are more and low density lipoproteins are less, cholesterol should not pose any health concerns. However, if the levels fluctuate with an increase in low density lipoprotein, it can prove perilous to heart health. In order to reduce the bad cholesterol, statins are prescribed. They are a class of prescription drugs that inhibit the production of cholesterol by the enzyme hydroxy-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase (HMG-CoA reductase) secreted by the liver. Therefore, statins are also referred to as HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors. Many cardiovascular diseases like atherosclerosis are treated with this drug.
List of Statins
- Atorvastatin (Lipitor)
- Fluvastatin (Lescol)
- Lovastatin (Mevacor)
- Pravastatin (Pravachol)
- Rosuvastatin (Crestor)
- Simvastatin (Zocor)
- Pitavastatin
This list of statins has been approved in United States.Of these, lovastatin is one of the statins with least side effects.
Side Effects of Statins
- Muscle ache and joint ache
- Nausea
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
And some potentially harmful side effects include:
- Rhabdomyolysis (Over dosage can incite break down of muscle cells, releasing a protein, myoglobin that can damage kidneys, leading to kidney failure)
- Liver damage (Excess consumption can not only inhibit secretion of enzymes, but also damage the liver)
- Myositis (Inflammation of skeletal muscle cells)
- Myalgia (Severe muscle pain)
Other side effects that accompany the above are:
- Prolonged headaches
- Disturbed sleep
- Muscle tenderness
- Drowsiness
- Severe abdominal cramping (one of the negative effects of statins in women)
- Skin rash and flushing of the skin
Of the statins listed above, simvastatin and pravastatin pose some potential side effects, and in few cases, have led to a plethora of unwelcome symptoms in people suffering from cardiovascular ailments.
Simvastatin Side Effects
Not all people experience them, but the major side effects are:
- Allergic reaction (like hives)
- Tightness in chest, leading to chest pain
- Swelling of mouth, face, tongue and lips
- Dark urine and pale stools
- Severe stomach ache
- Yellowish tinge in eyes and skin
- Muscle pain
- Blistered and peeling skin
- Constipation
- Flatulence
- Eczema
- Vertigo
- Pancreatitis
- Impotence
- Gynecomastia (Breast development in boys)
- Anxiety and depression
- Insomnia
Pravastatin Side Effects
Pravastatin also has substantial side effects, with some common as that of the above:
- Headache
- Heartburn
- Allergic reaction (like hives, rash)
- Difficulty in breathing
- Tightness in chest
- Swelling of mouth, face, tongue and lips
- Change in amount of urine (which is dark)
- Liver symptoms (like yellowish eyes and skin)
- Fever and strep throat
- Fatigue and muscle pain
- Stiff joints
- Red blistered skin
- Ear congestion
- Loss of voice and blurred vision
- Decreased sex drive
- Memory loss
One has to be very careful while taking statins with drugs like gemfibrozil, erythromycin, antifungal medications, nefazodone, cyclosporine, and niacin, which can further increase the risk of rhabdomyolysis. Hence, always consult your doc before consuming these drugs. If simvastatin is the drug prescribed, there are some diet constraints like avoiding grapefruit completely, which disrupts the effectiveness of the medication. Pregnant women should take a second opinion before going for these medications. In some cases, the side effects have been severe in pregnant women, leading to abnormalities in fetal growth. Many a time, these medications are prescribed for heart patients in order to bring down the cholesterol levels in blood, and to combat various health conditions like atherosclerosis (thickening of arteries). However, if the slightest of the above symptoms are experienced, as mentioned above, it is best to seek medical attention at the earliest.