How to Minimize the Side Effects of Statins

High cholesterol is a major risk factor for heart disease and having a heart attack. One way to lower cholesterol is with drugs known as statins. While these drugs can do wonders in controlling cholesterol levels, they also come with a host of potential side effects. You can choose from a variety of management options to minimize those side effects, from switching doses or drugs to watching out for interactions with other drugs.

Things You'll Need

• Statin drugs, including
• Altoprev (lovastatin)
• Crestor (rosuvastatin)
• Lescol (fluvastatin)
• Lipitor (atorvastatin)
• Mevacor (lovastatin)
• Pravachol (pravastatin)
• Zocor (simvastatin)

Show More

Instructions

Reduce Side Effects

• 1

  Understand your risk for developing side effects when taking statins. Not everyone has side effects. Some researchers think it's genetic. You are more likely to have side effects if you are female, have a small body frame, are over the age of 65, take a variety of cholesterol lowering drugs, have liver or kidney disease or diabetes.

• 2

  Recognize the side effects. One of the most common side effects from statins is muscle pain that includes weakness or soreness. It can range from mild discomfort to severe impairment. Sometimes statins can cause liver damage. You may not experience symptoms from this and that's why it's important to have a liver function test every few months during your first year on statin therapy. Other side effects can include digestive problems, rashes, or flushing and neurological effects such as memory loss or even amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

• 3

  Stop taking statins for up to two weeks. It may be hard to tell if the drug is at the root of your side effects, such as muscle pain. With time off from the drug, you can gauge whether or not you feel differently.

• 4

  Switch to another statin. Talk to your doctor about trying another type of statin. Rosuvastatin (Crestor) and pravastatin (Pravachol) reportedly produce fewer side effects compared with others.

• 5

  Lower your dose with advice from your doctor. Even though it might lessen the cholesterol-lowering effects, it can reduce the side effects.

• 6

  Ask your doctor about other drugs to reduce cholesterol. Statins aren't the only medications available, although they may be the most effective.

• 7

  Be careful or avoid taking pain relievers such as Tylenol or Advil, because they won't relieve muscle pain caused by statins.

• 8

  Avoid grapefruit or grapefruit juice. This citrus fruit contains a certain chemical that will make a statin more potent, which is potentially dangerous.

• 9

  Discuss all of your medications, including over-the-counter drugs and supplements, with your doctor because a variety of drugs can interfere with statins or cause dangerous interactions.