4 ways to improve your heart health
Here are four important ways to maximize your heart health.
Unbranded – Lifestyle, Unbranded – Lifestyle
The long list of side effects listed on statin packaging can be off-putting to people who might benefit from cholesterol-lowering drugs. However, new research has found that only a few of these side effects are actually a risk.
In a meta-analysis published February 5 in The Lancet, researchers found that of 66 undesirable outcomes attributed to statins, only four were significant. This did not include significant excess memory loss or dementia, depression, sleep disturbances, erectile dysfunction, weight gain, nausea, fatigue, or headaches.
Statins are the drugs of choice for treating high cholesterol and preventing or reducing heart disease.
Dr. Tamannaah Singh of the Cleveland Clinic recently said on the clinic’s podcast that about 39 million adult Americans take statins, and the largest population taking the drugs are those 40 and older. She added that Lipitor, Crestor, and their generic versions atorvastatin and rosuvastatin, respectively, are the most commonly prescribed statins.
“Statins are life-saving drugs that have been used by hundreds of millions of people over the past 30 years. However, concerns about their safety have deterred many people who are at risk of severe disability or death from heart attack or stroke,” lead study author Christina Reese said in a news release.
The study looked at the effects of five drugs: atorvastatin, fluvastatin, pravastatin, rosuvastatin, and simvastatin, using data from more than a dozen trials each involving at least 1,000 participants and often comparing statins to a placebo.
For example, the number of reported cognitive and memory impairments was 0.2% in patients taking statins versus those taking placebo. This means there is no evidence that the problem is caused by the statin.
Besides the well-known risks of muscle pain and diabetes, which were not investigated in the study, side effects of statin use included changes and swelling in the liver and urine, according to the study results.
“Our study provides reassurance that for most people, the benefits of statins far outweigh the risks of side effects,” Rees said.
