Statin-related side effects become more tolerable with time. Most people ( up to 75%) who stop taking a statin because of side effects are able to successfully restart a statin medication without side effects. Work with your provider to switch over from one to another to see if it’s a better fit for you. If one doesn’t work for you, it’s likely that another one will. Stopping your statin has been linked to a higher risk of serious cardiovascular events (like a heart attack or stroke) and death. Statins lower death rates in people with high cholesterol and help you live longer and healthier. High cholesterol causes heart disease and stroke. But unless you’ve had a serious side effect, or there is another serious medical reason for not taking a statin (for example, liver damage), you shouldn’t stop taking your statins. Statins in particular can help lower your LDL cholesterol (the “bad” cholesterol) by 30% to 50%, but their effects go away after you stop taking them.ĭespite their many benefits, many people stop taking statins. 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. 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. You may have heard that statins cause other side effects like cancer, memory loss, and kidney damage, but there is no science to back this up. Rhabdomyolysis (the most serious side effect, but very rare) Muscle and joint pain (the most common side effect, also called myalgia) Though the overall chance of having side effects from statins is low, there are several that you should be aware of: But here’s something surprising: Even though side effects are one of the main reasons people give for stopping statins, the number of people who truly experience side effects from statins is very, very small. Like all medications, there is a risk of side effects when taking statins. We’ll also talk about what might be a “safe” way to stop statins (hint: It always involves working closely with your healthcare provider.). Although statin medications can have big health benefits, many people worry about side effects and are hesitant to take these medications.īut is it dangerous to suddenly stop taking atorvastatin (Lipitor) or other statins? Below, we explore the answer to this and other questions about statins. Lifelong treatment with a medication is a tall order for some people - so, it isn’t all that surprising that many people who start on cholesterol medications, like statins, don’t continue taking them.
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