Some statins may have unintended side-effects, study finds

22 May 2010

Some types and doses of cholesterol-lowering statin drugs may have unwanted side-effects, scientists have found.

A study by researchers at the University of Nottingham revealed that some statins can increase an individual's risk of liver dysfunction, acute kidney failure, myopathy and cataracts.

Investigators looked at data on more than two million patients, aged 30 to 84 years, including 225,922 who were taking statins.

Participants were studied from January 2002 to June 2008 to investigate the incidence of side-effects.

According to a report in the British Medical Journal, statin use was associated with an increased risk of moderate or serious liver dysfunction, acute renal failure, moderate to serious myopathy and cataracts.

Higher doses were associated with an even greater risk of acute renal failure and liver dysfunction.

All types of statins were associated with a similar risk of side-effects except for fluvastatin, which appeared to cause a particularly high risk of liver dysfunction.

However, statin therapy was not associated with an increased risk of Parkinson's disease, rheumatoid arthritis, venous thromboembolism, dementia, osteoporotic fracture or many cancers.

The study authors concluded: "At national level, our study is likely to be useful for policy and planning purposes. Our study may also be useful for informing guidelines on the type and dose of statins."

However, a spokeswoman for the British Heart Foundation said that the risk of serious side-effects is low.

Cardiac nurse June Davison insisted: "For people with, or at high risk of heart disease, the benefits of statins far outweigh this risk."

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