What are the Side effects of Statins?

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Permalink Reply by DR.MOHAN SHARMA on January 14, 2013 at 7:59am

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
Dizziness
Nausea and/or vomiting
Abdominal cramping and/or pain
Bloating and/or gas
Diarrhea
Constipation
Rash

Statins also carry warnings that memory loss, mental confusion, high blood sugar, and type 2 diabetes are possible side effects. It's important to remember that statins may also interact with other medications you take.
Which Statin Side Effects Are Serious?

Statins are associated with a few rare, but potentially serious, side effects including:

Myositis, inflammation of the muscles. The risk of muscle injury increases when certain other medications are taken with statin use. For example, if you take a combination of a statin and a fibrate -- another cholesterol-reducing drug -- the risk of muscle damage increases greatly compared to someone who takes a statin alone.
Elevated levels of CPK, or creatine kinase, a muscle enzyme that when elevated, can cause muscle pain, mild inflammation, and muscle weakness. This condition, though uncommon, can take a long time to resolve.
Rhabdomyolysis, extreme muscle inflammation and damage. With this condition, muscles all over the body become painful and weak. The severely damaged muscles release proteins into the blood that collect in the kidneys. The kidneys can become damaged trying to eliminate a large amount of muscle breakdown caused by statin use. This can ultimately lead to kidney failure or even death. Fortunately, rhabdomyolysis is extremely rare. It occurs in less than one in 10,000 people taking statins.

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Permalink Reply by Student on January 14, 2013 at 11:09am

rhabdomyolysis

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Permalink Reply by Charudatta on January 14, 2013 at 1:15pm

inhibition of farnesyl ppi causes decreased atp synthesis in muscles,leading to myositis and rhabdomyolysis .myoglobinuria may occur following myolysis increasing the risk for acute tubular necrosis

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