One Of The Safest Cholesterol Medications Still Has A Few Unwanted Side Effects – Health Digest

High cholesterol is one of the main risk factors for heart disease and stroke, and 86 million Americans have cholesterol levels above 200 mg/dL, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Lifestyle changes such as exercising, quitting smoking, limiting alcohol and saturated fat, and eating high-fiber foods are some of the ways you can lower your cholesterol without medication. However, some people have a hereditary condition that requires them to take medication to bring their cholesterol down to a healthy level.

Statins are the most common and effective medications to lower cholesterol. Dr. Pinkey Patel, a clinical pharmacist and CEO/Founder of Myri Health, told Health Digest that drugs like atorvastatin or rosuvastatin are safe for most people, although statins can come with side effects such as muscle weakness, elevated liver enzymes, and headaches. In rare cases, statins could also cause severe muscle damage called “rhabdomyolysis.”

“Pravastatin might have a slightly lower risk of side effects since it’s hydrophilic (water-soluble), which could mean less muscle involvement,” Patel said. The likelihood of experiencing side effects from statins depends on a few factors.

A certain amount of cholesterol is necessary for your body to produce hormones, help convert vitamin D from sunlight, and provide structure to your cells. Your liver makes enough cholesterol for these functions, but your diet can contribute to too much cholesterol in your blood. Statins lower cholesterol by blocking an enzyme that makes cholesterol in the liver.

You might experience muscle pain or weakness if you’re just starting a statin medication or your doctor has recently increased your dosage. Grapefruit or grapefruit juice can increase the concentration of the statin in your system, which can lead to side effects. Women, adults over 80, and people with small body frames are also more likely to experience side effects. You could also have side effects from statins if you consume more alcohol. Other medications could interact with your statins, so be sure to check with your doctor or pharmacist to see if they are linked to increased side effects.

Side effects might vary depending on your type of statin, according to a 2013 meta-analysis in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes. Although there weren’t any differences among statins in muscle pain, atorvastatin and fluvastatin were more likely to cause elevated liver enzymes. Higher doses of atorvastatin, lovastatin, and simvastatin could also increase your liver enzymes.

Patel suggests telling your doctor if your muscle pain or weakness doesn’t go away. This might indicate rhabdomyolysis. Some symptoms could stem from problems with your liver, such as dark-colored urine or yellowing of your skin or eyes. Liver or digestive issues from your cholesterol medication could show up as extreme fatigue, stomach pain, or vomiting.

You should let your doctor know about any bothersome side effects. Your doctor can adjust your dosage or prescribe a different statin for you. “If statins aren’t a good fit, options like ezetimibe or PCSK9 inhibitors (like evolocumab or alirocumab) can be great alternatives,” she said. “They work in a completely different way and don’t typically cause muscle-related issues.”

These alternatives to statins also have side effects. Ezetimibe blocks cholesterol absorption in your gut, which can cause diarrhea or stomach pain. Ezetimibe could also affect your liver enzyme levels. PCSK9 inhibitors come as injections and can cause pain at the injection site or flu-like symptoms. Bile acid sequestrants remove bile acid from your digestive tract to help lower your cholesterol, so you could experience constipation, bloating, and nausea as side effects.