Are Statins Killing People?

Statins (more officially known as HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors) are drugs used in order to control levels of cholesterol and so limit the negative health effects of having high cholesterol which include increased chance of heart attack and stroke among other problems. This they achieve through the inhibition of HMG-CoA which is an enzyme partly responsible for the liver’s production of cholesterol. These are often the prescribed for those with high cholesterol and have proven mostly successful in lowering levels of cholesterol. As an added additional effect, statins may also have an anti-inflammatory and plaque-stabilizing effect which could prevent coronary heart disease; particularly helpful as this is commonly caused by high cholesterol.

However statins have recently come under fire from various groups who are concerned that they do more harm than good and even lead to heart failure. Myalgia, weakness, and other symptoms are also said to occur and these have been demonstrated in several studies though they are rare in occurence. There is also roughly a 0.5% chance of suffering liver enzyme derangements. Similarly it is possible to suffer from nerve damage and occasionally other difficulties.

These side effects have lead some literature online to denounce statins as ‘killing people’ which is a rather sweeping statement. Most of these criticisms are directed at the enzyme derangement (specifically the Co q10 deficiency) which exists in the mitochondria of every cell and is crucial for energy. This would not kill anyone, but it might leave individuals feeling less energetic. While the other side effects might seem bad, similar potential side effects exist for many other regularly used medications and are rare enough that the slight risk is still reasonable when weighed against the pros. This is particularly when you consider that newer statins have a higher efficacy and fewer side effects when compared to older ones. While further research may yield more problems, there is not currently enough scientific evidence for articles to make sweeping statements such as ‘statins are killing people’. It is worth bearing in mind that cholesterol kills people and that statins are an effective way of lowering this, and that should side effects occur, a patient can simply stop taking the medication.

Where many of these articles come from is an underlying distrust of doctors and the health service. Where this comes from is likely an underlying distrust in general of the establishment which is for the most part misplaced. Many people accuse doctors of recommending statins as a way to get more money from their patients, but this does not explain why statins are available on the NHS in the UK – meaning that they are funded by the government to treat the same condition. Interestingly some groups also exist that claim that cholesterol is not actually harmful (The International Network of Cholesterol Skeptics), however this group is not generally taken seriously by mainstream science or medicine.

Statins will not kill then, but they may have some unpleasant side effects. While the fear mongers should be taken with a pinch of salt though, it is still better to avoid medication where possible, and there are many preferable and more natural ways to lower cholesterol such as exercising and changing your diet and lifestyle. Speak to your doctor about these techniques first and consider statins only for more severe cases. This is the kind of precaution that should be taken with any medication and reasonable caution should always be exercised when introducing chemicals into your body.