What medications are statins: the benefits and side effects of statin pills

Statins benefit people with high levels of unhealthy cholesterol in the form of low density lipoprotein (LDL) in their blood.

LDL cholesterol promotes plaque build-up in arteries, which constricts blood vessels and restricts blood flow.

Blocking an artery with plaque cholesterol can cause angina pectoris, stroke, heart attack, and other circulation problems.

To answer the question of which drugs belong to statins, you should understand in more detail what statins are in general.

There are currently eight main types of statins. Each drug works slightly differently in the body. But they all work by blocking an enzyme in the liver that is responsible for making cholesterol.

Here are the drugs that belong to statins (the names of the active substance are listed first, the brand name is in brackets):

• Atorvastatin (Atomax, Vasator, Torvakard, etc.).
• Cerivastatin (Lipobay).
• Fluvastatin (Lescol).
• Lovastatin (Cardiostatin, Mevacor, Alekstatin, etc.).
• Pitavastatin (Livazo, Pravakhol).
• Pravastatin ("Lipostat").
• Rosuvastatin ("Akorta", "Crestor").
• Simvastatin ("Aterostat", "Vazilip", "Zokor", etc.).

A doctor may recommend statins for people who already have cardiovascular disease. This group includes people who have had heart attacks, strokes caused by blockage of a blood vessel, micro-strokes (transient ischemic attacks), illness peripheral arteries.

Also adults who have an LDL cholesterol level of 190 mg / dL (4.9 mmol / L) or higher. People suffering from diabetes and, along with this, vascular diseases; statins do not interact with hypoglycemic agents. People who are at high risk of heart attack, this group includes people with LDL cholesterol levels above 100 mg / dL (1.8 mmol / L).

If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning to become pregnant, you should not take statins.

Prescribing statins may be justified for the prevention of ischemic stroke. However, even knowing which drugs belong to statins, their independent prescription is unacceptable, as they have serious side effects.

By the way, a natural statin is ascorbic acid, or vitamin C.

Medicines to lower blood cholesterol: how to take and their possible harm

Statins are sold as pills that are taken once a day. Most people take medications to lower blood cholesterol before bed. It is during the night that most cholesterol is produced.

Statin therapy is usually continued throughout life, as stopping the drug causes cholesterol levels to rise over several weeks.

Rules for taking statin pills:

• If you forget to take a dose, do not take an extra dose. Just take your next dose as usual the next day.
• Statins are generally well tolerated. This means that many people take them without noticeable side effects.

The most common side effect of statins is muscle pain. Severe muscle pain and other symptoms can often be alleviated by reducing the dose of statin tablets. There is a very small risk of developing diabetes while taking statins.

Minor side effects such as upset stomach, headache, or feeling unwell are often reported.

Cases that involve more serious side effects, such as kidney failure, tend to receive a lot of media coverage, but they are rare. According to statistics, only one in 10,000 people who take statin pills will experience a potentially dangerous side effect.

A review of medical research on the effectiveness of statins found that one in every 50 people who take medication for lowering blood cholesterol for five years, as a result avoiding serious health problems such as a heart attack or stroke.

Effects of statins in women

A study by Jose Gutierrez and Columbia University (USA) showed that statins may have less beneficial effects on women.

Scientists analyzed data from 11 placebo-controlled studies on the role of statins in the secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease. The study participants were 43,193 people, of which about 20% were women.

It turned out that taking the drug by men contributed to a decrease in overall mortality and the risk of ischemic stroke, while in women these indicators were unreliable.

However, the results of the analysis need to be confirmed by further research.

Statins and the elderly

For elderly patients, the anti-inflammatory effect of statins is especially important. Therefore, the doctor will usually order a C-reactive protein blood test before taking the pills. The results of the analysis will tell about the level of chronic sluggish inflammation. It is the task of a statin to reduce it.

Drugs that are best for older men and women:

1. Lovastatin. A well-studied, moderate-intensity drug. The maximum dose can lower LDL cholesterol levels by 30% to 50%. Has fewer side effects than other, more potent statins. Potential side effects include: muscle pain, digestive problems, and an increased risk of diabetes.
2. Pravastatin. This medicine is even milder than Lovastatin. It is usually recommended for people who do not need to drastically lower their LDL cholesterol levels. People taking Pravastatin are less likely to report muscle pain and other negative effects associated with statins. The medication is generally well tolerated over a long period of time.

The list of statins that are prescribed for adult men and women:

1. Simvastatin. A recent study showed that the use of statins (especially simvastatin) in patients with lung cancer reduces the chance of dying from the disease. Simvastatin is a moderate intensity drug, but more potent than Lovastatin. It can help lower LDL cholesterol levels by 30% to 50%. It causes side effects more often than other drugs to lower blood cholesterol.
2. Atorvastatin Is one of the most popular types of statins. More effective in lowering cholesterol compared to Fluvastatin, Lovastatin, Pravastatin and Simvastatin. It is also prescribed for people with coronary heart disease who need to lower the "bad" cholesterol.
   With aggressive therapy (80 mg of Atorvastatin daily) versus a moderate dose of Pravastatin (40 mg daily), the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. However, high doses of Atorvastatin are associated with a greater risk of side effects. Most patients are not given high doses of atorvastatin at the start of treatment.
3. Fluvastatin Is one of the most benign statins in terms of side effects. But it is also the least effective for people with coronary artery disease and high LDL cholesterol.
   Gentle statins such as Fluvastatin are ideal for relatively young people who do not yet have high LDL cholesterol and heart disease. It is also an alternative for people who experience muscle pain while taking other statins.
4. Rosuvastatin - the most powerful statin of the latest generation. Low doses (20 mg per day) can reduce bad cholesterol levels by more than 50%. However, this drug is the least studied and has the highest rates of side effects. Because of this, Rosuvastatin is not an optimal choice for the elderly.

The most preferred statins are the latest generation drugs, which contain such active ingredients as Atorvastatin, Cerivastatin, Rosuvastatin and Pitavastatin. Their effect is noticeable after the first month of use.

A blood test should be done after any statin tablet change to see how effective the new drug is in lowering cholesterol levels.