Do statins shorten your life?

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.Jan 8, 2021

A. Hair loss, or alopecia, is a very rare side effect of all statin drugs. Widely prescribed in the treatment of high cholesterol, statins work by blocking the action of an enzyme the liver uses to make cholesterol. About 1% of people taking statins report hair loss.Jul 1, 2011

The researchers found that of 300 older adults with mildly impaired thinking and memory, those using "lipophilic" statins were more likely to develop dementia over the next eight years. Lipophilic statins include such widely used medications as simvastatin (Zocor), atorvastatin (Lipitor) and lovastatin (Altoprev).Jun 15, 2021

“The study showed that taking statins for 6 years reduced death from cardiovascular disease by 24 percent, and overall mortality by 23 percent.”Nov 2, 2018

In the analysis of 135 previous studies, which included nearly 250,000 people combined, researchers found that the drugs simvastatin (Zocor) and pravastatin (Pravachol) had the fewest side effects in this class of medications. They also found that lower doses produced fewer side effects in general.Jul 9, 2013

Overall, there are no specific health risks associated with drinking while using statins. In other words, alcohol won't immediately interfere with or react with the statins in your body.

(Health.com) -- It's widely known that cholesterol-lowering statins can benefit patients with heart disease, but a new study suggests they may actually harm some people with heart failure. Heart disease can occur when arteries become clogged, but in heart failure, the heart gets progressively weaker and larger.Nov 5, 2009

One involving 71,444 people in 19 large clinical trials found that 3% of those taking a statin died from any cause compared to 3.6% of those taking a placebo. The same analysis showed the average risk of dying from heart disease was 1.7% in the placebo group and 1.2% among those taking statins, or a benefit of 0.5%.Apr 3, 2019