Statins are safe as side effects ‘exaggerated’

STATINS are safer than previously thought with fewer than one in ten patients experiencing side effects, the world’s largest study has found.

The cholesterol-busting drugs are taken by eight million adults in the UK to ward off heart disease and slash the risk of suffering heart attacks and strokes.

But years of controversy and conflicting evidence over their adverse effects mean millions of elderly Britons who could benefit shun the pills.

Now the study that looked at data from 4.1million adults worldwide has concluded just

‘Intolerance more common in women’

9 per cent of those taking statins have side effects.

The findings suggest issues such as muscle aches and fatigue are far less common than thought. The authors said ‘statin intolerance is overestimated and over-diagnosed’ and patients ‘should not be afraid’ of the drugs.

Experts said previous studies had indicated up to 50 per cent of users may show signs of intolerance, which also include headaches, nausea and dizziness. They said this means up to half of patients prescribed the drug stop taking it or cut the dose – increasing their risk of death from heart disease.

The latest analysis, published today in the European Heart Journal, pooled data from 176 studies and suggests the majority of reported ‘side effects’ are not caused by the drugs. Instead, they can be attributed to factors such as the aches and pains of old age or the ‘nocebo effect’, where patients report more side effects when they believe a medication causes them.

Lead author Professor Maciej Banach said: ‘The size of our study means we are able to finally answer the question about the true prevalence of statin intolerance. The most important message to patients is they should keep on taking statins and discuss any side effects with their doctor, rather than discontinuing the medication. Statins can be used safely in most patients.’

The study found the ‘true prevalence’ of statin intolerance is between 6 and 10 per cent, and is more common in women and people from black or Asian backgrounds.

It is now hoped the study will boost efforts to roll out the drug – which costs less than £20 a year per patient – to millions more Britons. Since 2014, NHS guidelines have said all over-75s should be offered statins, yet only about a third of those eligible take them.

Statins have been at the centre of a war of words between scientists over the past decade, leaving millions confused over whether or not to take the drugs. Professor Sir Nilesh Samani, of the British Heart Foundation, said: ‘Decades of evidence have proven statins save lives. This analysis should provide reassurance.’