NHS guidance urges people taking statins to be aware of serious side effects that require stopping the medication and seeking urgent medical attention, including symptoms requiring 111 calls or emergency care.
A woman taking a tablet(Image: PA)
NHS guidance advises individuals taking statins to discontinue their medication and seek immediate medical help if they experience any of several particular symptoms.
Statins are intended to lower levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in the blood. LDL cholesterol is widely referred to as “bad cholesterol”, with statins functioning to reduce its manufacture in the liver.
High LDL cholesterol levels present considerable health dangers and could heighten the risk of strokes, heart attacks, angina, and coronary heart disease. Patients prescribed statins generally take them once per day, reports Chronicle Live.
As with other medications, some people taking statins might encounter unwanted side effects, though most do not. The side effects experienced will vary depending on the particular type of statin being used, although frequent ones include nausea, headaches, cold-like symptoms, constipation, diarrhoea, and feeling weak or dizzy.
NHS advice states: “Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you get any side effects at all, and if they bother you or do not go away. Your doctor may recommend trying a lower dose of pravastatin or a different statin.”
Nevertheless, the NHS also warns about serious adverse reactions that require immediate medical attention.
Guidance for atorvastatin (Lipitor), pravastatin (Lipostat), rosuvastatin (Crestor), and simvastatin (Zocor), recommends ceasing the medication and contacting 111 or consulting a doctor straight away if you develop any of these symptoms:
unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, weakness or cramps – these could indicate muscle breakdown and kidney damagea skin rash with pink or red blotches, particularly on the palms of your hands or soles of your feet – this might be a symptom of erythema multiformethe whites of your eyes turn yellow, or your skin turns yellow, although this may be less noticeable on brown or black skin, or if you have pale stools and dark urine – these could be signs of liver problemssevere stomach pain – this could be an indication of acute pancreatitisa cough, shortness of breath, and weight loss – these could be symptoms of lung diseaseweakness in your arms or legs that worsens after activity, or if you experience double vision, drooping eyelids, difficulties swallowing or shortness of breath – these could be signs of myasthenia gravis.
You should ring 999 or make your way to A&E immediately if you experience severe breathing or swallowing difficulties. There are other symptoms that could indicate a serious allergic reaction, warranting an ambulance call:
your lips, mouth, throat or tongue suddenly swell upyou become extremely confused, drowsy or dizzy all of a suddenyou’re breathing at an unusually rapid pace or struggling to breathe (you may become very wheezy or feel as though you’re choking or gasping for air)your throat feels constricted or swallowing becomes difficultyour skin, tongue or lips turn blue, grey or pale (for those with black or brown skin, this may be more noticeable on the palms of your hands or soles of your feet)a child appears limp, floppy or unresponsive in a way that’s not normal for them (their head may droop to the side, backwards or forwards, or they may struggle to lift their head or focus on your face)someone faints and cannot be woken up
Moreover, the person feeling unwell might also exhibit a rash that’s swollen, raised, itchy, blistered or peeling.