Most of them - 19, individuals - kept taking statins anyway, with nearly half continuing to take the same drug. Roughly four years after the side effects were reported, 3, patients had died or suffered a heart attack or stroke. Among those who continued to take their statins, Overall, the researchers found that people who stopped taking statins after a possible side effect were 13 percent more likely to die or have heart attack or stroke during the study period than people who kept taking their medicine.
The new findings expand on previous studies showing people benefit when they continue to take their statins, said Dr. Alternatively, he said, doctors may try giving a smaller dose of the drug.
In an editorial accompanying the new study, Dr. For instance, the American Heart Association AHA recommends the following options for people with high cholesterol who cannot take statins:. A different drug may be able to take the place of a statin in keeping your cholesterol levels in a safe range. Your doctor may suggest that you implement certain lifestyle changes before stopping the statin, or directly in place of the drug. These changes might include adopting an exercise program or modifying your diet.
For example, the AHA suggests following a Mediterranean diet or vegan diet. A healthy diet and exercise program can have many benefits for your overall health, but it may not be enough to replace the cholesterol-lowering effects of a statin. You and your doctor should closely monitor your cholesterol levels to make sure the diet and exercise changes are having the necessary effects on your cholesterol. Instead of completely stopping your statin use, your doctor might suggest reducing your statin dosage.
Less medication could mean fewer side effects, and the drug might still work well enough to manage your cholesterol levels. Or your doctor could suggest reducing your statin dosage while adding another medication or supplement. This could resolve your issues with taking the drug, especially if they relate to side effects. Drugs your doctor could add to your medication regimen while reducing your statin use include ezetimibe, bile acid sequestrants, or niacin.
These medications can help manage your cholesterol levels while you take the lower dosage of statins. L-carnitine supplements are another option, especially for people with diabetes.
L-carnitine is an amino acid derivative made by your body. Preliminary studies have shown that taking L-carnitine twice daily could improve the effect of statins on LDL and also prevent a rise in blood sugar. Learn more about L-carnitine and its effects on the body. Another option could be to supplement your reduced statin dosage with CoQ10 , an enzyme your body makes naturally. A case study reported that a man had stopped taking statins due to side effects.
When the plaque levels in his blood vessels began to increase, he started taking a low-dose statin on alternating days, as well as daily CoQ His plaque levels decreased to a healthy level on this regimen. If side effects are your concern with statins, your doctor may suggest continuing to take the same dosage of your statin, but adding a supplement of CoQ Some studies suggest that this plan could help reduce side effects.
This is likely because statins can cause the levels of CoQ10 in your body to drop, leading to side effects such as muscle problems.
Taking CoQ10 supplements could help reverse these side effects. Not everyone needs to stop taking statins. Many people take statins for decades without having any side effects or issues. For those individuals, the medications can be a very effective form of treatment and prevention for cholesterol problems.
Others may not have the same experience with statins. People who decide to quit taking statins may have several different reasons for doing so. The following are some of the most common reasons for quitting statins. Statins can cause several side effects. Nissen, who has spoken out against statin guidelines in the past, has researched statin alternatives that led to an approval by the US Food and Drug Association. He said he receives research grants, but not personal funds, from pharmaceutical companies.
Statins or not? New study aims to help doctors and patients decide. Alexander Turchin , an author of the new study and an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, wasn't surprised by his findings. He said the research fell in line with what we already knew about the benefits of statins. Turchin also receives grants from pharmaceutical companies, but those grants did not fund this new research. One expert questioned whether his findings had much to do with statins at all.
Redberg was not involved in Turchin's research. For example, those who take medications consistently might also eat better or exercise more, Redberg added. So a "small difference" between the groups "isn't that revealing," she said.
Redberg also noted that the study did not separate patients who had already had a heart attack or stroke. She said that there is plenty of good evidence to recommend statins to patients who have had cardiovascular problems, but that there is "little to no benefit" in using statins to prevent a cardiac event in those who haven't had one before. The latter remains a topic of debate. Experts say that McDonagh's experience as a patient is uncommon, but exactly how uncommon is unclear.
It is difficult to know whether a reported symptom is truly caused by statins, and many studies do not ask patients about common side effects, according to experts.
Roughly one in five patients on statins experienced a side effect, the new study found. This is higher than other studies have estimated, but it could have to do with the way the study was designed, Turchin said. Bad heart? Time to hit the gym. Nissen said that statins have developed a "bad reputation with the public," largely due to websites that peddle scary and unscientific claims about statins.
0コメント