At What Point Do Doctors Prescribe Statins?

What is the safest drug to take for high cholesterol

Statins reduce your body’s ability to manufacture LDL cholesterol.

And they work.

Statin therapy reduces the risk for a heart attack or other cardiovascular event by as much as 48 percent , depending on the level of risk factors you have.

In fact, statins are so effective that nearly 32 million Americans take them..

At what cholesterol level are statins prescribed

But the statin question changed a bit when the American Heart Association (AHA) and American College of Cardiology (ACC) updated their guidelines. Now the only people who automatically get a statin based only on their LDL are those whose number is very high (190 mg/dL or higher).

What foods should be avoided when taking statins

A: While taking atorvastatin (Lipitor), avoid high-fat and high-cholesterol foods as part of your overall treatment. You should avoid large quantities of grapefruit or grapefruit juice, which can increase the risk of serious side effects. Also, avoid excess alcohol use, as this may cause serious liver problems.

Do statins cause more harm than good

NHS recommendations state millions of people who have not suffered a heart attack or stroke should take statins as a preventative measure. However, experts writing in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) said the drugs could do more harm than good, and offer a tiny benefit for those people at low risk.

Do statins affect bowel movements

The side effects of statins include diarrhoea and constipation, although no pathophysiological explanation is provided by the manufacturer.

Can I stop taking statins Once you start

Therefore, most people who begin taking a statin medication will likely take it for the rest of their lives. If you’ve been taking statins and would like to stop, you’ll need to do so with your doctor’s guidance. This is because it can be dangerous to stop taking statins.

What are the warning signs of high cholesterol

The most common symptoms include:angina, chest pain.nausea.extreme fatigue.shortness of breath.pain in the neck, jaw, upper abdomen, or back.numbness or coldness in your extremities.

At what level of cholesterol is medication required

Medication is typically recommended when: your cholesterol levels are high enough to increase your risk for cardiovascular disease (or you already had a cardiovascular event, such as a heart attack or stroke) you have an LDL level greater than 190 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL)

Do statins age you faster

However, it is not the only mechanism that has been shown to be, and which ones are causal has not really been determined. Interestingly, another study recently reported that statins could slow aging, as they were found to be associated with longer telomere length.

Can I refuse statins

We know that for patients at high risk, statins can do this — and potentially save lives. Before you refuse to take a statin or stop taking a statin, consult your doctor. He or she can explain why you may benefit from the drug or help you find a different statin if you experience side effects.

Is there an alternative to statins

There are many non-statin medications your doctor might prescribe: Bile acid-binding resins, like cholestyramine (Locholest, Prevalite, Questran), colesevelam (WelChol), and colestipol (Colestid) stick to cholesterol-rich bile acids in your intestines and lower your LDL levels.

What are the worst foods for high cholesterol

They suggest limiting the following foods to achieve this:fatty beef.lamb.pork.poultry with skin.lard and shortening.dairy products made from whole or reduced-fat milk.saturated vegetable oils, such as coconut oil, palm oil, and palm kernel oil.

When should you start taking statins

The ACC/AHA guideline recommends starting moderate- to high-intensity statins if the risk is 7.5% or greater, whereas the NICE and USPSTF guidelines recommend statins if the risk is 10% or greater.

Why you should never take statins

Very rarely, statins can cause life-threatening muscle damage called rhabdomyolysis (rab-doe-my-OL-ih-sis). Rhabdomyolysis can cause severe muscle pain, liver damage, kidney failure and death. The risk of very serious side effects is extremely low, and calculated in a few cases per million people taking statins.

Do statins clear the arteries of plaque

Statins help lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, also known as “bad” cholesterol, in the blood. They draw cholesterol out of plaque and stabilize plaque, Blaha says.

What vitamins should not be taken with statins

A magnesium- and aluminum-containing antacid was reported to interfere with atorvastatin absorption. People can avoid this interaction by taking atorvastatin two hours before or after any aluminum/magnesium-containing antacids. Some magnesium supplements such as magnesium hydroxide are also antacids.

Are statins really worth taking

Research has shown that statins are highly effective in reducing the risk of fatal heart attack and stroke. But some people are reluctant to take these life-saving drugs. They worry about taking medicine every day for the rest of their life or have heard that statins have undesirable side effects.

Do statins make you gain weight

As with many medications, statins may cause side effects, including digestive problems, muscle pain and weakness, and cognitive dysfunction. Another side effect that’s been linked to statins is weight gain.