Statins: How the drug prevents heart attacks and strokes
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Although statins have significantly lowered the incidence of heart disease, one in five users discontinue the drug due to undesirable aftereffects. These can be wide-ranging and vary in severity. According to findings from one epidemiological study, the drug may also significantly increase the odds of eczema.
The findings, published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, were deduced from a study of heart patients who received hospital treatment at clinics in Iowa, US.
The health platform Dermatology Advisor summarised the findings of one study with the statement: “Compared with patients who were statin-naïve, patients with statin exposure were at significantly increased risk for eczema development.”
The study of 9,678 patients with heart disease, showed the six-year incidence rate of eczema was 6.77 percent in patients taking statins, compared with 1.68 percent among patients not taking statins.
When focussing sharply on the effects of different statins types, researchers found the incidence rates for atorvastatin and simvastatin were 9.09 percent and 7.78 recent respectively.
READ MORE: Statins: Side effects of atorvastatin may include nosebleeds – other symptoms
Data also showed the risk of statin-related eczema was more pronounced among patients aged 60 years or more.
“Patients receiving statin remained at higher eczema risk across gender, race/ethnicity and rural/urban residence strata,” added Dermatology Advisor.
Statins work to lower the production of low-density lipoprotein, or “bad” cholesterol, by blocking an enzyme in the liver that helps produce cholesterol.
The build-up of these lipids in the blood contributes to a buildup of plaque in the arteries, which eventually causes blood flow to slow and raises the risk of cardiac events.
Harvard Health explains: “The benefits of statins go beyond just lowering LDL cholesterol.
“Statins have anti-inflammatory properties, and inflammation is a known contributor to plaque build-up.
“Also, statins help prevent plaques from breaking open and releasing chemicals that stimulate blood clot formation, which is the cause of most heart attacks.”
Minor statin-related complications include difficulty sleeping, headaches, flushing of the skin and dizziness.
Myalgia, however, is the most common side effect of the drug, with documented rates from one to 10 percent.
Serious side effects, such as rhabdomyolysis, are far rarer, occurring in less than 0.1 percent of users.
The drug, however, is notorious for having a strong nocebo effect, which occurs when people experience negative effects from a drug based on an expectation of harm.
It is believed this effect is accountable for a high number of muscle-related complaints.
What’s more, experts have voiced hopes that this discovery will deter patients from discontinuing the drug if aftereffects do occur.
It is ill-advised to stop treatment with statins before consulting a health practitioner, as this can significantly increase the odds of heart complications.
Folkert Asselbergs, from the University Medical Centre Groningen in the Netherlands, said: “Statin withdrawal leads to a rapid and significant increase in C-reactive protein, independent of the parallel LDL increase.”
Patients who experience side effects from their medication may have their dosage adjusted or prescribed a different statin.
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