Statins side effects 'have been overstated', says study

Conclusion This is a complex study that provides a plausible explanation for the difference in reports of adverse effects of statins in RCTs and observational studies, some of which have suggested as many as 1 in 5 people get side effects from statins. However, we need to be aware of some limitations and unanswered questions: When people knew they were taking statins, they were more likely to report muscle pain than those not taking statins. But they were less likely to report muscle pain than in the first phase of the study, when they didn't know whether they were taking statins or placebo. We don't know why this is. Almost everyone in the study was white European (95%) and male (81%). We don't know if the results hold true for people in other ethnic groups or women. Because people weren't prompted to report concerns about specific adverse events or side effects, it's possible these may have been underestimated. Also, the study only looked at one statin, and at a dose lower than those often used today. The unanswered questions mean there may be other explanations for the differences in reporting of adverse effects, other than the "nocebo" effect. NHS guidelines say doctors should consider offering statins to people who have had a prior heart attack or stroke, or to people with a 10% or higher risk of having a heart attack or stroke in the next 10 years. Statins need to be used with caution in people with a history of liver disease. There's also a very...
Source: NHS News Feed - Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Medication Heart/lungs Source Type: news