Swelling of the legs and ankles due to excess fluid retention (peripheral oedema). Can statins
Statin
Statins, also known as HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, are a class of lipid-lowering medications that reduce illness and mortality in those who are at high risk of cardiovascular disease. Low-density lipoprotein carriers of cholesterol play a key role in the development of atherosclerosis and coronar…
Can statins cause fluid retention?
Swollen feet and ankles (fluid retention) Fatigue and drowsiness. Shortness of breath.
Is edema a side effect of atorvastatin?
Inform your doctor immediately if you experience any unexplained muscular symptoms, such as pain, tenderness, cramps or weakness, while taking atorvastatin. Swelling of the legs and ankles due to excess fluid retention (peripheral oedema).
What are the two most common adverse effects of statins?
The most common statin side effects include:Headache.Difficulty sleeping.Flushing of the skin.Muscle aches, tenderness, or weakness (myalgia)Drowsiness.Dizziness.Nausea or vomiting.Abdominal cramping or pain.More items...
What medications cause edema?
Many medicines can cause edema, including:NSAIDs (such as ibuprofen and naproxen)Calcium channel blockers.Corticosteroids (like prednisone and methylprednisolone)Pioglitazone and rosiglitazone.Pramipexole.
Can atorvastatin cause swelling in feet?
Muscle effects Statins can occasionally cause muscle inflammation (swelling) and damage. Speak to your doctor if you have muscle pain, tenderness or weakness that cannot be explained – for example, pain that is not caused by physical work.
What is the most serious side effect of atorvastatin?
In rare cases, atorvastatin can cause a condition that results in the breakdown of skeletal muscle tissue, leading to kidney failure. Call your doctor right away if you have unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness especially if you also have fever, unusual tiredness, and dark colored urine.
What is the downside of taking statins?
While statins are highly effective and safe for most people, they have been linked to muscle pain, digestive problems and mental fuzziness in some people who take them and may rarely cause liver damage.
What can I take instead of statins to lower cholesterol?
7 cholesterol-lowering alternatives to statinsFibrates. Mostly used for lowering triglyceride levels in patients whose levels are very high and could cause pancreatitis. ... Plant stanols and sterols. ... Cholestyramine and other bile acid-binding resins. ... Niacin. ... Policosanol. ... Red yeast rice extract (RYRE) ... Natural products.
Which statin has the most side effects?
Looking at the most commonly used statins – both brand names and, when available, generic forms of the drugs – rosuvastatin, the strongest statin, had the highest rates of reported problems. This was followed by atorvastatin, simvastatin, pravastatin, and lovastatin.
How do I get rid of edema in my legs?
Support stockingsMovement. Moving and using the muscles in the part of your body affected by edema, especially your legs, may help pump the excess fluid back toward your heart. ... Elevation. ... Massage. ... Compression. ... Protection. ... Reduce salt intake.
Will drinking more water help with edema?
Although prescription medications and creams can treat edema, it is essential to drink enough water. When your body is not hydrated enough, it holds onto the fluid it already has to make up for the lack of incoming water, thus contributing to swelling.
Does edema go away?
Mild edema usually goes away on its own, particularly if you help things along by raising the affected limb higher than your heart. More-severe edema may be treated with drugs that help your body expel excess fluid in the form of urine (diuretics). One of the most common diuretics is furosemide (Lasix).
Can blood pressure tablets cause swollen ankles?
Swollen ankles can occur as a side effect of some high blood pressure medicines, for example calcium channel blockers.
What medications can cause swollen ankles?
These 7 Medications Can Cause Puffy Legs and AnklesFirst, how do you determine the cause of swelling? Gradual swelling in your legs and feet might not be obvious. ... 1) Amlodipine. ... 2) Gabapentin.3) Pregabalin.4) NSAIDs. ... 5) Oral contraceptives. ... 6) Oral steroids. ... 7) Pioglitazone and rosiglitazone.
Why do I have swollen ankles and feet?
Common causes of swollen ankles, feet and legs eating too much salty food. being overweight. being pregnant. taking certain medicines – such as some blood pressure medicines, contraceptive pills, hormone therapy, antidepressants or steroids.
What should I avoid when taking atorvastatin?
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.
What Are Statin Side Effects?
One of the most common complaints of people taking statins is muscle pain. You may feel this pain as a soreness, tiredness or weakness in your musc...
Who's at Risk of Developing Statin Side Effects?
Not everyone who takes a statin will have side effects, but some people may be at a greater risk than are others. Risk factors include: 1. Taking m...
Drugs and Food That Interact With Statins
Grapefruit juice contains a chemical that can interfere with the enzymes that break down (metabolize) the statins in your digestive system. While y...
What Causes Statin Side Effects?
It's unclear what causes statin side effects, especially muscle pain.Statins work by slowing your body's production of cholesterol. Your body produ...
How to Relieve Statin Side Effects
To relieve statin side effects, your doctor may recommend several options. Discuss these steps with your doctor before trying them: 1. Take a brief...
Weigh The Risks and Benefits
Although statin side effects can be annoying, consider the benefits of taking a statin before you decide to stop taking your medication. Remember t...
How to prevent statin side effects?
Try coenzyme Q10 supplements. Coenzyme Q10 supplements may help prevent statin side effects in some people, though more studies are needed to determine any benefits of taking it. Talk to your doctor first to make sure the supplement won't interact with any of your other medications.
What drugs interact with statins?
Some drugs that may interact with statins and increase your risk of side effects include: Amiodarone (Cordarone, Pacerone), a medication for irregular heart rhythms. Gemfibrozil (Lopid), another variety of cholesterol drug.
Can statins cause heart attacks?
Having too much cholesterol in your blood increases your risk of heart attacks and strokes. Statins block a substance your liver needs to make cholesterol. This causes your liver to remove cholesterol from your blood. If you think you're experiencing side effects from statins, don't just stop taking the pills.
Does statin help with heart attack?
Sign up now. Statin side effects: Weigh the benefits and risks. Statins are effective at lowering cholesterol and protecting against a heart attack and stroke, although they may lead to side effects for some people. By Mayo Clinic Staff.
Can statins cause liver damage?
While statins are highly effective and safe for most people, they have been linked to muscle pain, digestive problems and mental fuzziness in some people who take them and may rarely cause liver damage.
Do statins increase blood sugar?
Statins prevent heart attacks in people with diabetes, so the relevance of the mild increase in sugar values with statins observed in some people is unclear. The benefit of taking statins likely outweighs the small risk to have the blood sugar level go up. Talk to your doctor if you have concerns.
Can statins cause diabetes?
It's possible your blood sugar ( blood glucose) level may increase when you take a statin, which may lead to developing type 2 diabetes. The risk is small but important enough that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a warning on statin labels regarding blood glucose levels and diabetes.
Statins
guys, I was wondering if anyone else might be having problems with Statins? I'm currently taking...
Dependent Oedema
appointment today and discovered why my ankles were often swollen. Although there are serious...
Statins
daily having lots of trouble with cramps muscle and joint pain wondering if I can come of statins...
statins
level of statins people have prescribed. i had ha and one stent and prescribed 20mg of atorvastatin...
Statins
Hi I’m on 80 mg of Avorstatin and have been for 3 years after a H/A and 3 stents fitted , I know...
What are the side effects of statins?
Less common side effects you may have with statins are: Nausea. Hair loss. Pins and needles sensations, such as pricking, numbness, or tingling on your skin. Liver inflammation, which can make you feel like you have the flu. Pancreas inflammation, which can cause stomach pain.
How to stop muscle pain from statins?
Take a break from statins, which can help you know if the drugs are the cause of muscle aches or other side effects. Try a different statin drug or dose. Change your exercise routine gradually and skip intense workouts if you’re not used to them. Try another type of medication to lower your cholesterol.
Who Should Take Statins?
Estimates are that in addition to the people already taking them, another 15 million to 20 million people should be taking statin drugs based on their risk factors for heart disease. Your doctor can do a simple blood test to determine the amount of cholesterol in your blood. If you have high levels of LDL ("bad”) cholesterol, you have a greater chance of heart disease, especially when there are other factors that increase your risk. Based on your overall risk, your doctor may recommend you take statins to help lower your cholesterol by a certain amount.
How do statins work?
How Statins Work. Statin drugs work by blocking the action of the liverenzyme that is responsible for producing cholesterol. Too much cholesterol in the blood can cause a buildup of plaque on the walls of the arteries. That buildup can eventually cause the arteries to narrow or harden.
How do statins help with heart disease?
Statins are a class of drugs often prescribed by doctors to help lower cholesterol levels in the blood. By lowering the levels, they help prevent heart attacks and stroke. Studies show that, in certain people, statins reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke, and even death from heart disease by about 25% to 35%. Studies also show that statins can reduce the chances of recurrent strokes or heart attacks by about 40%.
What is statins used for?
What Are Statins? Statinsare a class of drugs often prescribed by doctors to help lower cholesterol levelsin the blood. By lowering the levels, they help prevent heart attacksand stroke.
How many people should take statins?
Who Should Take Statins? Estimates are that in addition to the people already taking them, another 15 million to 20 million people should be taking statin drugs based on their risk factors for heart disease. Your doctor can do a simple bloodtest to determine the amount of cholesterolin your blood.
What are the consequences of taking statins in a long period of time?
The child represents an extreme example of cholesterol inhibition, but his case illuminates the possible consequences of taking statins in strong doses or for a lengthy period of time–depression of mental acuity, anemia, acidosis, frequent fevers and cataracts.
How does statin work?
The step from HMG to mevalonate requires an enzyme, HMG-CoA reductase. Statin drugs work by inhibiting this enzyme–hence the formal name of HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors. Herein lies one potential for numerous side effects, because statin drugs inhibit not just the production of cholesterol, but a whole family of intermediary substances, many if not all of which have important biochemical functions in their own right.
Why is Lipitor bad for the heart?
Cardiologist Peter Langsjoen studied 20 patients with completely normal heart function. After six months on a low dose of 20 mg of Lipitor a day, two-thirds of the patients had abnormalities in the heart’s filling phase, when the muscle fills with blood. According to Langsjoen, this malfunction is due to Co-Q 10 depletion. Without Co-Q 10, the cell’s mitochondria are inhibited from producing energy, leading to muscle pain and weakness. The heart is especially susceptible because it uses so much energy. 15
What are the side effects of Lipitor?
The most common side effect is muscle pain and weakness, a condition called rhabdomyolysis, most likely due to the depletion of Co-Q 10, a nutrient that supports muscle function. Dr. Beatrice Golomb of San Diego, California is currently conducting a series of studies on statin side effects. The industry insists that only 2-3 percent of patients get muscle aches and cramps but in one study, Golomb found that 98 percent of patients taking Lipitor and one-third of the patients taking Mevachor (a lower-dose statin) suffered from muscle problems. 4 A message board devoted to Lipitor at forum.ditonline.com (update 09 JUL 2007: reader alerted us the forum is now defunct) contained more than 800 posts, many detailing severe side effects. The Lipitor board at www.rxlist.com contains more than 2,600 posts (click on Message Boards at upper left and then choose Lipitor; also note that as of 09 JUL 2007 there are 3,857 messages).
How many people take Lipitor?
During the last 20 years, the industry has mounted an incredible promotional campaign–enlisting scientists, advertising agencies, the media and the medical profession in a blitz that turned the statins into one of the bestselling pharmaceuticals of all time. Sixteen million Americans now take Lipitor, the most popular statin, and drug company officials claim that 36 million Americans are candidates for statin drug therapy. What bedevils the industry is growing reports of side effects that manifest many months after the commencement of therapy; the November 2003 issue of Smart Money magazine reports on a 1999 study at St. Thomas’ Hospital in London (apparently unpublished), which found that 36 percent of patients on Lipitor’s highest dose reported side effects; even at the lowest dose, 10 percent reported side effects. 3
Why is cholesterol important for neurology?
It plays a key role in the formation of memory and the uptake of hormones in the brain, including serotonin, the body’s feel-good chemical. When cholesterol levels drop too low, the serotonin receptors cannot work.
Does cholesterol go up with age?
Some researchers believe that cholesterol acts as an antioxidant. 2 This is the likely explanation for the fact that cholesterol levels tend to go up with age.
