The Truth About Cholesterol-Lowering Drugs (Statins), Cholesterol and Health

With at least 12 million Americans taking cholesterol-lowering drugs, mostly statins, and experts’ recommendations that another 23 million should be taking them, it’s important to remain educated on this issue, the primary one being that they’re linked to many, many dangerous side effects.

Statins currently available on the U.S. market include:

• Lipitor (atorvastatin) – Pfizer
• Zocor (simvastatin) – Merck
• Pravachol (pravastatin) – Bristol-Myers Squibb
• Lescol (fluvastatin) – Novartis
• Mevacor (lovastatin) – Merck
• Crestor (rosuvastatin) – AstraZeneca

Click on the individual drug names above to view their prescribing information, commonly known as the “package inserts.”

SIDE EFECTS OF STATIN DRUGS

• Weakness
• Muscle aches
• An increase in cancer risk
• Immune system suppression
• Serious degenerative muscle tissue condition (rhabdomyolysis)
• Potential increase in liver enzymes so patients must be monitored for normal liver function