New numbers about statin drug intolerance

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It’s said that half of all people who try a statin drug to lower cholesterol wind up abandoning the medication because of real or perceived side effects (muscle aches being the top complaint). But don’t give up too quickly if you suspect you can’t tolerate the drug, because the real prevalence of statin intolerance is much lower than 50%, according to a study published online Feb. 16, 2022, by the European Heart Journal. Researchers pooled the results of 176 trials that included more than 4.1 million statin users around the world (followed for 12 to 19 months). The overall prevalence of true statin intolerance was no more than 6% to 10%. Factors that increased the likelihood of being statin intolerant included being Black, Asian, female, or older; having diabetes, liver or kidney disease, or an underactive thyroid; taking certain heart medications; or drinking alcohol. Study authors urge that if you think you might be experiencing statin side effects, you should work with your doctor to alleviate symptoms before quitting the therapy. If symptoms really are due to your statin, changing the type of statin or the dose may eliminate the symptoms. Exercising or taking the supplement coenzyme Q10 also may help. Don’t give up too early on statins: they’ve saved a lot of lives.

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