While statins are highly effective and safe for most people, they have been linked to muscle pain, digestive problems and mental fuzziness in some people who take them and may rarely cause liver damage.
Which statin is safest for liver?
Based on records from the Swedish national registry, their results demonstrate that individuals who took a lipophilic statin (in this case atorvastatin or simvastatin) were at a significantly lower risk of developing liver cancer than those who were not taking a statin (3.3% versus 8.1%).
Do statins mess up your liver?
Statins may occasionally be associated with mild transaminase elevations but can also result in life-threatening liver injury. Atorvastatin is the most common cause of clinically significant liver injury in this drug class.
Which statin is least likely to cause liver?
Simvastatin, lovastatin, fluvastatin, and atorvastatin are metabolized by cytochrome P-450, while pravastatin, rosuvastatin, and pitavastatin remain almost unaffected by any hepatic metabolic processes.
Is there a cholesterol medication that does not affect the liver?
Large randomized trials have proven the safety of low to moderate doses of lovastatin, pravastatin, simvastatin, atorvastatin, and rosuvastatin, showing no significantly increased risk of liver biochemistry abnormalities.
How common is liver damage from statins?
The risk of hepatic injury caused by statins is estimated to be about 1 percent, similar to that of patients taking a placebo. Patients with transaminase levels no more than three times the upper limit of normal can continue taking statins; often the elevations will resolve spontaneously.
Who should not take statins?
People at an increased risk of side effects
being over 70 years old. having a history of liver disease. regularly drinking large quantities of alcohol. having a history of muscle-related side effects when taking a statin or fibrate (another type of medicine for high cholesterol)
What can I take instead of statins to lower cholesterol?
7 cholesterol-lowering alternatives to statins
- Fibrates. Mostly used for lowering triglyceride levels in patients whose levels are very high and could cause pancreatitis.
- Plant stanols and sterols.
- Cholestyramine and other bile acid-binding resins.
- Niacin.
- Policosanol.
- Red yeast rice extract (RYRE)
- Natural products.
Is taking statins worth the risk?
And so, in general, although there are some potential side effects long-term for statins, in most cases, if your doctor has identified you as having high cholesterol and needing a statin, the risks greatly outweigh, or sorry, the benefits greatly outweigh the risks.
Is there a new drug to replace statins?
On December 22, 2021, FDA approved Novartis’ Leqvio, a small interfering RNA therapy that blocks translation of the PCSK9 gene. Although the medication must be injected, it only needs to be given twice per year, and it reduces LDL levels by about 52%.
What is the safest statin to take for high cholesterol?
According to a research review people who take simvastatin (Zocor) or pravastatin (Pravachol) may experience fewer side effects.
What is the first drug of choice for cholesterol?
As with people who already have known CVD, when the decision is made to start medication, the first choice is usually a statin. (See ‘Statins’ below.) People with high triglyceride levels — Triglycerides, like cholesterol, are a type of lipid.
Can you stop taking statins Once you start?
If you’re taking a statin medication to lower your cholesterol, you will need to keep taking your prescription, or your cholesterol will likely go back up. Stopping your statin can put you at risk of having heart disease and other preventable health problems like stroke and heart attack from high cholesterol.
What is the fastest way to lower cholesterol without medication?
People can naturally lower their cholesterol levels by adopting dietary and lifestyle changes. This can include changing the types of fats they eat, consuming soluble fiber, exercising regularly, quitting smoking, maintaining healthy body weight, limiting alcohol intake, and getting enough good-quality sleep.
What is the new treatment for high cholesterol?
Federal regulators have approved the new drug Leqvio to be used to help lower cholesterol levels in some people. The medication is designed to be taken along with statins and a balanced diet. Leqvio is designed to be taken twice a year, which experts say should help people adhere to a medication schedule.
Why do people not want to take statins?
Fear of side effects and perceived side effects are the most common reasons for declining or discontinuing statin therapy. Willingness to take a statin is high, among both patients who have declined statin therapy and those who have never been offered one.
When should I stop taking statins?
These suggestions used phrases such as “it might be reasonable to consider statin discontinuation” in patients with short life expectancy, multimorbidity or increasing comorbidities, frailty, or functional decline, or when harm outweighs benefit.
How often should you have a blood test when on statins?
Before you start taking statins, your doctor should carry out a blood test to ensure your liver is in a relatively good condition. You should also have a routine blood test to check the health of your liver 3 months after treatment begins, and undergo another after 12 months.
What is the best statin for the elderly?
Atorvastatin or fluvastatin are usually recommended because there is no need to adjust the dose according to the glomerular filtration rate [28]. In patients without diagnosed atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, it is indicated a moderate dose of statin, such as atorvastatin 20 mg daily [28].
What should a 70 year old cholesterol be?
After having their cholesterol tested, seniors should be given a number between 190 and 260. Healthy seniors should keep their total cholesterol below 200 and their LDL cholesterol around 100. If your elderly loved one’s LDL cholesterol level is above 160, he or she must start making sweeping lifestyle changes.
Why do doctors push statins?
Because many factors are involved, your cholesterol numbers may be considered normal and yet you may still be found to be at an elevated risk for heart problems. As a result, statin medications are now used to lower the risk of heart disease and heart events in most anyone found to be at high risk.