Statins are prescribed medication used to lower cholesterol levels, according to Medline Plus, a division of the National Institutes of Health. While healthy amounts of cholesterol are needed, too much cholesterol can clog arteries and cause a heart attack or stroke. Thus, a patient with high cholesterol may need to take a statin to lower damaging low density lipoprotein, or LDL, and increase beneficial high density lipoprotein, or HDL. Many different varieties of statins are available. A patient requiring statin therapy should be aware of the risk of benefits of different types of statins.
Atorvastatin
Atorvastatin, also known as Lipitor, belongs to the statin drug class. According to Drugs.com, atorvastatin is used to reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke and narrowed or blocked arteries in the body. In patients with a previous heart attack, atorvastatin may reduce the risk of a second heart attack, stroke, hospitalization of congestive heart failure and angina. Drugs.com states that atorvastatin reduces the risk of vascular disease because it affects cholesterol levels in the blood. Specifically, atorvastatin has been found to reduce total cholesterol, LDL and triglyceride levels while raising HDL levels. While atorvastation may be beneficial, it is associated with serious side effects. A patient should be aware of possible liver dysfunction, muscle breakdown and weakness and diarrhea.
Simvastatin
A patient that does not respond well to atorvastatin may be prescribed simvastatin, known as Zocor. This medication increases the rate at which the body removes cholesterol from the blood stream and reduces the production of cholesterol, similarly to other statin medications. Drugs.com states that simvastatin can be used as an adjunct to other lipid-lowering treatments. As a result of the slight differences in the molecular structure of simvastatin, a patient may experience better cholesterol control with simvastatin in comparison with another statin. In addition, a patient may also experience a different set of side effects. Common side effects of simvastatin are headache in 4 percent of patients, gastrointestinal problems in 2 percent and muscle pain in one percent of patients.
Rosuvastatin
Rosuvastatin, or Crestor, is also a commonly prescribed medication used to lower LDL cholesterol and raise HDL cholesterol. In addition, rosuvastatin has similar side effects when compared to other statins, including muscle pain and liver problems. The major difference between rosuvastatin and other statins is that rosuvastatin can cause a patient to have dark urine, more frequently in patients taking 40mg, states Drugs.com. Although alarming, Drugs.com states that dark urine is temporary and is not associated with worsening kidney damage.
