You might have also heard that taking a statin could raise your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. If your doctor has advised you to take a cholesterol-lowering statin drug, what good things can you expect to get out of it? The pros and cons of statins. Maintaining a healthy cholesterol level is important, but as with many other drugs, statins may have side effects. Malcolm Tatum Last Modified Date: November 23, 2020 . September 6, 2019 . They block an enzyme that helps your body make cholesterol. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is currently one of the most important health problems in the world, causing one-third of all global deaths (17.3 million deaths per year). Most melanomas come in the form of a new spot on the skin, not changes to an existing mole. FDA withdraws approval for two older cholesterol drugs, New insights about an inherited form of high cholesterol, Healthy habits help people sidestep clogged leg arteries, Find the best treatments and procedures for you, Explore options for better nutrition and exercise, Get trusted advice from the doctors at Harvard Medical School, Learn tips for living a healthy lifestyle, Stay up-to-date on the latest developments in health, Receive special offers on health books and reports. Published: August, 2013. The cardiology specialists in a cardiology clinic can do a complete blood workup and other tests to determine if a statin drug is right for you. Dr. Keith Roach / . "Most people can tolerate these drugs, but a handful of my patients do have muscle aches," Steinbaum says. Talk to your doctor, and ask for more information that may help you decide. 6. Can adopting a healthier diet help fight prostate cancer? But those aren’t routine tests. Statin drugs are used to lower a person’s cholesterol. It's worth noting that many doctors are not following these guidelines to the letter, and that they've generated some controversy. Can a smart watch diagnose a heart attack? Hormone therapy and radiation may help with certain prostate cancer, Unlocking the mystery of chronic pelvic pain syndrome, Women with DCIS at increased risk for breast cancer death, A silent condition may be taking a toll on your health. All rights reserved. "That's more important than anything, because if plaque bursts it can cause a heart attack or stroke," she says. Should I worry about a sudden swollen tongue? But it's not clear if those muscle symptoms are actually related to statins, or if something else is to blame. Regardless of whether your doctor is on board with the newer guidelines, they should also consider other heart disease risk factors before making a recommendation. Can acupuncture help my menopause symptoms? Cardiologists generally agree that statins are a no-brainer for people who've already had a heart attack or stroke, because there’s strong evidence that they can help prevent a second one. "If your doctor isn't having a dialogue with you about it," Nissen says, "you might want to find another doctor. "I'm not [using them], and nobody else is, either," says Steven Nissen, MD, chairman of the department of cardiovascular medicine at the Cleveland Clinic. © 2010 - 2020 Harvard University. 2018 May 23;150(10):398-402. doi: 10.1016/j.medcli.2017.11.030. And is it worth the risk of side effects you may have heard about, like muscle aches and memory problems? Taylor, F. Journal of the American Medical Association, November 2013. Healthy Living: The Pros and Cons of Statins for Fighting Cholesterol. Journal of the American Medical Association, November 2013. Cooking from — and for — the heart this holiday season, Fish oil drug helps shrink plaque in heart arteries, When you take these popular pain relievers, proceed with caution, "Awe" walks inspire more joy, less distress, Anticholinergic drugs linked with greater cognitive risk, Blood pressure medications may affect your mood, Use topical painkillers for strains and sprains, 5 tips to get your eating habits back on track, Simple solutions to soothe sore, fragile gums, Tips to cheat safely on your healthy diet, Gum disease linked to an increased risk for cancer, More daily movement may lower cancer deaths, Oral health problems may raise cancer risk, Telemonitoring tied to fewer heart attacks, lower medical costs. Will you need to take a statin drug to bring it down? Anywhere from 5% to 20% of people who take statins report having it. Cost may also be another issue for some people, though Nissen points out that you can now get some generic statins for as little as $10 per month. If you're at high enough risk for your doctor to recommend a statin, "I think you can safely say that a moderate dose will reduce the risk of either a heart attack or stroke by 30%," says Jennifer G. Robinson, MD, MPH, director of the Prevention Intervention Center at the University of Iowa. A healthier lifestyle is still definitely part of the plan. Statins work in your liver. Your Good Health: Doctors debate pros, cons of statins . What can we help you find? If that happens, switching to a different statin, lowering your dose, or taking your pill every other day instead of daily might help. "They were already at very high risk thanks to metabolic syndrome, being overweight, or other factors.". Some men with an enlarged prostate gland (benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH for short) eventually start to experience urinary incontinence, the involuntary discharge of urine.