Cholesterol Medication Side Effects
Most cholesterol medications lower cholesterol with few side effects, according to the American College of Cardiology. However, some people dont do well with a statin drug, a common family of medications used to lower cholesterol. For some, side effects of statins, such as muscle problems, or an increased risk of diabetes have them seeking ways to get rid of their cholesterol medication safely. A scientific statement from the American Heart Association on statin safety notes the risk of statin-induced diabetes is low, about 0.2%. Other less common side effects of statins include: muscle pain, increased blood sugar levels, constipation, nausea, diarrhea, stomach pain, cramps, and elevation of liver enzymes. Other types of cholesterol-lowering medications have side effects including flushing, dizziness, or itchiness. Talk to your qualified health care provider about any concerns you may have about a possible side effect of your medications.
Myth #: You Could Get Cataracts From Taking Statin Drugs
Truth: Some studies have indicated that there may be a relationship between statin drugs and an increased risk for developing cataracts. However, these investigations have been either conducted in animals or in less-than-rigorous studies.
The best evidence we have comes from high-quality clinical trials in humans, which showed that statin drugs do not increase risk of cataract formation, reports Martin. In fact, some studies even performed eye exams in people over time and showed no difference in eye health between those taking and not taking statins.
At What Cholesterol Level Is Medication Required
There is so much talk about the dangers of high cholesterol, you may start to think that all cholesterol is bad. In truth, your body needs cholesterol. This waxy fat, or lipid, is necessary for digestion, building cells, making certain hormones, and for ensuring normal organ function. However, as it is with many things that are good for you in the right amount, too much of it can cause serious health problems.
Your liver produces all of the cholesterol your body needs. Your body also absorbs cholesterol directly from certain foods you eat. When you intake some cholesterol from your diet, your body is normally able to adjust the amount produced by your liver to avoid having too much. Eating too many high-cholesterol foods, and having conditions that cause your liver to produce too much can lead to high blood cholesterol levels sometimes known as lipid disorder, hyperlipidemia, or hypercholesterolemia.
You May Like: Shrimp Cholesterol Myth
What About ‘total Cholesterol’
If you’ve ever looked at your cholesterol tests results in detail, you may have noticed that the “total” number doesn’t seem to equal all of the other measurements combined. That’s because your total cholesterol includes your LDL and HDL cholesterol levels, and 20 percent of your triglyceride score, according to the AHA.
The NHLBI says that adults should have a total cholesterol level somewhere between 125 and 200 milligrams per deciliter. So if your total cholesterol is 260, for example, that would be considered high but there are treatments and lifestyle changes that can bring that down, so work with your doctor on a plan that will be best for you.
It Is Quite Understandable To Have Questions When You May Need To Take A New Medicine
Statins are the most widely used medicine to lower cholesterol and they have been around for a long time, but there have been a lot of news stories about them which can be confusing.
Statins have been around for over 30 years and have been prescribed to millions of people in the UK. They should only prescribed when there is a real clinical need. Stopping taking them can lead to serious problems.
Do statins work?
There are many scientific studies which support the use of statins in protecting against diseases of the heart and blood vessels .
The Cholesterol Treatment Trialists Collaboration , which included more than 170,000 people, showed the benefits for individuals who are prescribed statins. Statins were clearly shown to lower LDL cholesterol levels.
For every 1mmol/L drop in LDL cholesterol there was also an important drop in a patients 5-year risk of CVD.
The study showed the reductions in risk of all major cardiovascular events such as heart attacks and strokes by 21%.
What side effects are there?
Most people experience no side effects when they take a statin and most take them every day without any problems. Side effects can occur with all medications, and the most commonly reported side effects of a statin are muscle aches and pains.
How do I know if Im getting side effects from a statin?
What are the very rare side effects of statins?
You May Like: How Much Cholesterol In Pork
Is It Safe To Stop Taking Cholesterol Medication
Always work under the guidance of a physician when making changes to your medications. Do not stop any medication without proper medical advice from your physician. Before we talk about how to stop taking cholesterol medication safely, its important to explain what it does. Cholesterol medication works to reduce the amount of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in your blood. Cholesterol is a waxy substance that can build up in the walls of arteries. This build-up can restrict blood flow, cause inflammation, and increases the risk of heart attack and stroke. A group of commonly prescribed cholesterol medications is statins. Statins reduce blood cholesterol and prevent atherosclerosis or heart disease. How do statins work? Statins work by reducing the livers production of cholesterol, by blocking the enzyme, called HMG CoA reductase, that makes cholesterol. Its important to note, that statins are not enough to prevent heart disease youre still at risk.
Personal Care Assistant Services
As you age, you are not always able to care for yourself and do all the things you were once able to do on your own. Your diet can sometimes suffer because of this. Centric Healthcare offers Personal Care Assistant services that can help. PCA services are social care programs which assist with non-medical needs of persons who arent getting around as well as they once did and allow them to live in their own home instead of being placed in an institution. PCAs can help you meal plan, grocery shop, prepare your meals and assist you with many other basic activities of daily living.
Also Check: Ldl Cholesterol Range For Female
Why Are Statins Used
Statins bring down your cholesterol level to make you less likely to have a heart attack or stroke. Your body uses cholesterol when it makes vitamin D, hormones and the acid you use to digest food. But if you have too much cholesterol in your blood, it can collect inside your arteries. This creates obstacles that make it harder for your blood to get through your blood vessels.
If cholesterol keeps building up in your arteries, it can do more than just make them narrow. The plaque in your blood vessels can become unstable and break open, leading to a heart attack.
Can Squats Make Your Butt Bigger
Usually, squatting will truly simply get down to business with your glutes, making them more firm rather than bigger or smaller. However, if you are a little overweight and begin to do squats and focus on your fitness you will find that squats will actually tone your butt and your overall size will get smaller.
You May Like: Normal Ldl Cholesterol Levels For Females
How Do I Know If My Cholesterol Is Too High
There are no symptoms that can warn you when your cholesterol level is high. You can have high cholesterol and never know it. A lipid panel blood test is the only way to determine whether or not you have high cholesterol.
It is generally recommended that men and women over 20 years of age should have their cholesterol levels checked every 5 years. However, if your test results are outside of the recommended range, you should check them more often. Other factors related to your health, your family medical history and your lifestyle will also affect how often you should have your cholesterol levels checked. As always, talk to your doctor about the frequency that is best for you.
Getting Off Blood Pressure Meds
Health Tips / Getting Off Blood Pressure Meds
Posted 01/05/2015
If youre currently taking a blood pressure medication OR your doctor has remarked that shell be keeping an eye on your borderline high blood pressure OR high blood pressure runs in your family and you have concerns about it, please read this Health Tip closely. The issues surrounding blood pressure are far more complicated than you might guess.
Importantly, your doctor, who we can safely assume intends the best for your health, may be basing her recommendations and prescribing your medication on what she may not know is actually some very controversial information. She simply may not be aware that shes starting you on what could be decades of inappropriate medication for a condition you dont really haveand one that isnt even dangerous to your health.
In fact, based on new government guidelines in which your doc is paid less by insurance companies for failing to reach certain clinical goals , she may be encouraged to prescribe more meds for your potentially non-existent elevated blood pressure. Read that sentence a couple of times and let it sink in. It means if your blood pressure is not at a particular normal level AND your doctor has failed to give you medication to reach that level, she can be financially penalized, even if your actual blood pressure level is totally harmless to your health. Tell me thats not just a little bit spooky.
Also Check: Salmon Roe Cholesterol
Urgent Advice: Call A Gp Urgently And Stop Taking Statins If You Get:
- muscle pain, weakness or cramps, and dark pee – these are dangerous signs, particularly if you also feel unwell or have a high temperature
- yellow skin or eyes, pale poo or dark pee
- a severe skin rash with peeling and swelling of the skin, and pink-red blotches, especially on the palms of the hands or soles of the feet
- severe stomach pain
How To Safely Come Off Statins
Its possible for some people to stop taking statins safely, but it can be especially risky for others. For instance, if you have a history of heart attack or stroke, its not recommended that you stop taking these drugs. This is because youre more likely to have another such problem when you discontinue statins.
However, if you dont have a history of heart attack or stroke and you want to stop taking statins, your first step should be to talk to your doctor. They can help you find out what your risk factors are, and if stopping statins is a safe move for you.
If your doctor thinks that you could safely stop taking your statin, they can suggest a plan for it. This plan may involve stopping statins entirely, or it may involve reducing your statin usage. Another option is to continue taking the statin but to add a supplement. One of these options is likely to address whatever problems taking statins causes for you.
If your doctor will be helping you stop taking statins entirely, some options they might suggest include switching to a different drug or adopting certain lifestyle changes.
Also Check: Cholesterol Hydrophilic Or Hydrophobic
How Do You Work Out The Back Of Your Thighs
Dumbbell Lunge: Stand with a dumbbell in each hand, feet shoulder width apart, knees slightly bent. Step forward with one foot. Slowly lower the whole body downward in a controlled movement for a count of four. Return to standing, starting position without locking the knee. Do 10-12 repetitions, then alternate legs.
Add High Magnesium Foods
Only 50% of Americans eat enough magnesium . This powerhouse mineral has tons of benefits in the body. Specifically, magnesium is shown to lower CRP, a protein that increases when your body is inflamed . Since high cholesterol and heart health is highly related to inflammation this is only going to help you.
Foods high in magnesium:
Dark leafy greens, organic dark chocolate, almonds, sesame seeds roasted, sunflower seeds, broccoli, pumpkin seeds, black beans, avocado, banana.
Don’t Miss: Canned Tuna Cholesterol
Statin Withdrawal Hard On The Heart
Discontinuing Statins Can Lead to Rapid Rise in Cholesterol and C-Reactive Protein
March 14, 2006 — Stopping cholesterol-lowering statin drugs after long-term use packs not one, but two potentially deadly punches to the heart.
That’s the bottom line of a new study that shows that people who discontinued taking the drugs experienced rapid rises in both C-reactive protein and LDLcholesterol levels. These data provide support for the acute increase in cardiovascular risk associated with statin discontinuation, they write.
Statins lower not only cholesterol, but also reduce CRP, a marker of harmful inflammation in the arteries that can lead to blood clots, says researcher Folkert Asselbergs, MD, PhD, of the University Medical Center Groningen in The Netherlands.
Dozens of studies have now shown that CRP, like cholesterol, is an important, independent predictor of heart attack and stroke risk, he says.
“If you stop statins, it’s a double whammy,” Asselbergs tells WebMD. “Statin withdrawal leads to a rapid and significant increase in CRP, independent of the parallel LDL increase.
“If you’re on a statin, keep on your medication!” he says.
Can You Just Stop Taking Statin Drugs
There are 2 points that every person taking statin medication must know and realize:
- The reasons why you are currently taking a statin medication
- What you need to do before you can stop taking a statin medication.
In general if you have no known underlying heart disease and have total cholesterol count under 200 or have been previously diagnosed with heart disease and have total cholesterol count under 150, you are probably a good candidate to stop taking statin or cholesterol lowering drugs.
Best advice is to always consult with your physician before stopping.
Also Check: Are Mussels High In Cholesterol
Lifestyle Therapy: The First Step
With so many people in need and so many medications available, it’s understandable that both doctors and their patients are tempted to rely on medications to improve unhealthy cholesterol levels. That’s a mistake. Instead, lifestyle therapy is the place to start. That means avoiding tobacco in all its forms. It also means choosing foods low in saturated fat, trans-fatty acids, and cholesterol while favoring foods that provide heart-healthy omega-3 and monounsaturated fats and large amounts of dietary fiber. It also requires regular exercise, which can be as simple as walking at a moderate pace for at least 30 minutes nearly every day. And the combination of a good diet and regular exercise should help men achieve another important goal, weight control.
Lifestyle therapy can improve cholesterol levels, and certain foods can provide extra help . But even with clean living, many people need medication to achieve optimal cholesterol levels, particularly when they have to reduce their LDL levels to 100 mg/dL or less. It’s important to keep up a good diet and exercise program even if you take medication. And if you can’t take a statin, here is a rundown of other medications that can help Table 3 summarizes their effects on blood lipids and compares them to the statins.
Statin Drugs Side Effects
Like almost every other drug, statins also have side effects. There are:
With time, these side effects may get better. There is also the option of changing your dose or switching to other varieties of the drug. Eating the grapefruit or taking grape juice increases the severity of the side effect. Grapes interfere with the drugs break down, causing it to build up in the blood.
Once you stop using the statin drugs, the body functioning will return back to normal. Some side effects take a day while others take several weeks or even months.
Also Check: Cholesterol In Tuna Fish
How And When To Take Statins
Always take statins exactly as your GP or pharmacist has told you. Check with your GP or pharmacist if you are not sure.
Usually, statins should be taken once a day.
Simvastatin, pravastatin and fluvastatin should be taken at night. This is because most of the cholesterol your body produces is during the night time.
Atorvastatin or rosuvastatin can be taken at any time, as long as you stick to the same time every day.
Statins do not usually upset the stomach. You can take them with or without food.
Swallow statin tablets whole with a glass of water.
Why Taking A Statin Could Put You At Risk
If you are taking cholesterol-lowering medication with the assumption that it is all you need to do to maintain a healthy heart, you are putting yourself at risk. Lowering high cholesterol may help improve that aspect of cardiovascular health, but without adopting a healthy lifestyle you are still at risk of developing heart disease. A healthy lifestyle should be the base on which further therapies are built. Yes, statins can lower blood cholesterol. But if you rely solely on statins for good overall health, chances are you will not get good overall health, states Dr. Ronald Scheib, MD, FACC, FACP, former Chief of Section of Cardiovascular Medicine at the Miami Heart Institute. Statins will not lower your risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, many cancers, arthritis, and gall bladder disease.
Recommended Reading: Is Tuna Good To Lower Cholesterol
Why I Talked My Husband Out Of Taking Statins
Shutterstock
Statins are so universally popular with doctors that Ive heard one claim they should put statins in the drinking water. Statins lower cholesterol which is a good thing because high cholesterol can lead to a heart attack or a stroke. Heart attacks are the No. 1 killer in the US for men and women. So why was I so determined to get my husband Bob to stop taking them?
In Bobs case, the doctor had suggested he start on statins as a precaution — as a sedentary, middle-aged man with slightly high cholesterol, it was well within the guidelines. There was no discussion of losing weight or eating more healthfully, either of which might have lowered his cholesterol naturally. To be fair, its possible the doctor did suggest it and Bob didnt listen.
The statins worked great. Without changing his lifestyle one bit, Bobs cholesterol dropped to within normal limits. Talk about having your cake and eating it too!
But statins are not side-effect free. Complaints of memory loss and muscle aches are common. Bobs brain was very important to me and I watched him carefully for signs of memory loss. Casually Id ask, Bob, what was name of the street we lived on when we were in Fleetwood? or Whats your moms telephone number again? Pretty soon he was accusing me of dementia!
Six months later, Bobs cholesterol and blood pressure both checked out perfectly – and hed lost about five pounds. Its been about five years and his doctor hasnt suggested statins again.