Muscle soreness and weakness are not typical adverse effects of statins, despite being labeled as such by health officials worldwide.
Less than ten percent of cases of aches and pains in individuals taking cholesterol-lowering meds were attributed to these medications, according to a seminal study.
According to a study conducted by Oxford University, the symptoms are likely merely the result of aging.
Researchers claim that the findings will assist patients and physicians in “making educated decisions” regarding whether or not they should quit taking their medications.
Professor Colin Baigent, an epidemiologist at Oxford and the study’s principal investigator, stated that if a patient on statins experiences muscle soreness, it is “most likely due to other factors.”
He stated, “Statin therapy should continue until other possible causes have been investigated.”
Statins are the most often prescribed medications in the world, with an estimated 8 million British people and 32 million Americans taking them to prevent heart attacks and strokes.
However, up to one-third of patients stop taking them, in part because of side effects such as muscle and joint problems.
The most recent study, which was published in The Lancet, examined the incidence of side effects in 155,000 participants who received statins or placebos in 23 randomized trials.
In all, 27.1 percent of drug-treated patients reported muscle soreness or weakness, compared to 26.6 percent of placebo-treated individuals.
There was no difference between those given statins and those given placebos after the first year of medication.
The researchers discovered that greater doses carried a slightly increased risk of muscle difficulties, but the majority of cases were modest.
Dr. Christina Reith, the co-lead author of the study and a researcher at Oxford University, stated, ‘Our research demonstrates that while persons on statin therapy may get muscle complaints, it is crucial to emphasize that people who are not taking statins regularly experience the same symptoms.
Most of the time, statins are not the source of muscle complaints in persons taking statins.
We anticipate that these findings may assist physicians and patients in making educated decisions regarding whether to initiate or continue statin therapy, in light of its well-established advantages in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Muscle soreness and weakness are two of the most common adverse effects listed on the NHS website, along with headaches, nausea, digestive issues, sleeplessness, and a low platelet count.
The Oxford team, however, believes that the small risk of muscle soreness should be highlighted and weighed against the benefits of statins.
Professor Baigent stated, “International drug regulators are concerned about patient safety.”
And until now, scientists believed that the best way to accomplish this was to provide these warnings about the likelihood of muscle soreness.
‘What we’ve demonstrated is that this is not the ideal method to assist patients, because people take this information, and the instant they have muscular discomfort, they suspect the statin, which prompts many of them to discontinue taking the statin, putting them in danger.
Therefore, we must engage with the authorities to do a better job of conveying the dangers and try to shift the balance.
Statins were associated with a 7 percent greater risk of muscle aches or weakening over the first year compared to placebo.
However, this disappeared within a year.
In the first year, strong doses were associated with an 11 percent increased risk, which decreased to 5 percent in subsequent years.
Professor Sir Nilesh Samani, medical director at the British Heart Foundation, which co-funded the study, stated, “This accumulation of data from many clinical trials provides a clear picture that, although statins are associated with a small increase in the risk of muscle pains or weakness, they do not cause the majority of muscle pain symptoms commonly associated with them.”
It strengthens the evidence that statins are safe, which should bring reassurance to the large number of individuals taking or considering taking these lifesaving drugs that have been demonstrated to prevent heart attacks and strokes.
At the European Society of Cardiology Congress 2022 in Barcelona, this work was presented.
The chief executive officer of the charity HEART UK, Jules Payne, stated, “HEART UK has been stating this for a long time, but we certainly appreciate this further confirmation, which brings peace of mind and can put an end to people’s anxieties.
We already know that statins are safe and well tolerated by the majority of people, so we hope that this new research will dispel any lingering worries.
In conjunction with a balanced diet and lifestyle, statins are a crucial drug for managing cholesterol levels.
Statins are a class of medications that inhibit the liver’s production of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol.
Over time, its accumulation can result in hardened and constricted arteries and heart disease, one of the major causes of death worldwide.
Statins are currently prescribed to those diagnosed with the condition or with a family history of it.
The pills, which have been proven to save lives and cost only 20p each, are taken once each day.
In a matter of weeks, patients who discontinue the use of statins may see their cholesterol levels return to pre-medication levels.
