It has been determined that statins, used by millions of people, do not cause most of the commonly feared side effects.
According to a comprehensive study examining the data of more than 120 thousand people, the benefits of these drugs far outweigh their risks.
The large-scale review, published in the journal The Lancet and funded by the British Heart Foundation, has debunked widespread beliefs that statins cause problems such as memory loss, depression, sleep disturbance, weight gain and sexual dysfunction.
In the study conducted by Oxford University researchers, more than 120 thousand people using statins were compared with a group taking a placebo. According to the results, reported side effects occurred at almost the same rates in both groups.
SIDE EFFECTS ARE VERY RARE
The study found that only four of 66 possible side effects listed in drug leaflets were associated with statin use. The researchers emphasized that these changes do not lead to serious diseases such as hepatitis or liver failure.
It was stated that statins may rarely cause muscle damage, and may also accelerate the process in people prone to diabetes by slightly increasing blood sugar levels. However, it was stated that these risks were extremely low.
It has been reconfirmed that statins are extremely effective at lowering “bad” LDL cholesterol and significantly reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke.
The lead author of the research is Prof. Christina Reith said that misinformation about the safety of statins prevents many people from using these drugs and said, “People may experience some complaints, but we now know with strong evidence that most of these problems are not caused by statins.”
