High cholesterol has become a boon for the pharmaceutical industry and the scourge of people across the country. Cholesterol can lead to diminished and blocked arteries, stroke, heart attack and death. Statin drugs were introduced as a way of medicinally controlling cholesterol. If you have high cholesterol (over 180) and you're thinking about taking a statin drug, you should always weigh the benefits against the risks. And although side effects do happen, they are rarely dangerous.
Muscle Pain
According to the Mayo Clinic, muscle pain is the most common side effect that's associated with the taking of statin drugs. The amount of pain you experience can run the gamut, from feeling mild pain to having difficulty going about your daily activities. In rare cases (1 in 15,000,000), taking statin drugs can lead to a condition called rhabdomyolysis, which results in deadly muscular damage, liver damage and kidney failure. This is most common when statin drugs are taken in concert with other medications.
Liver Damage
Taking a statin medication can lead to an elevation in liver enzymes. These enzymes help to clean the bloodstream, but when they are secreted in too great a number, they can cause liver damage. Oftentimes, an elevation in liver enzymes is nothing to worry about but should be monitored. If the enzyme count becomes too high, your physician may advise that you stop taking the medication until the situation can be assessed.
Digestive Effects
Taking a statin drug, especially on an empty stomach, can result in nausea, diarrhea and constipation. These side effects are most common in people with a pre-existing stomach condition. For most others, taking the medication with a meal helps to significantly diminish any digestive effects associated with the drug.
Neurological Side Effects
Statin drugs have been studied to find out if there is a link between the taking of the medication and Lou Gehrig's disease, also known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). A 2008 FDA study found that there is no relationship between taking statin drugs and getting ALS.
