Scientists will need to carry out further studies to better understand what causes statin muscle pain. Muscle pain caused by statins can be mild, moderate, or severe. People with SAMS may experience:. People with SAMS typically experience pain in the calves and thighs. However, SAMS can affect all the skeletal muscles of the body. A number of factors may put a person at higher risk of developing SAMS, including:. Generally, symptoms of SAMS resolve on their own if a person stops taking statins.
However, if they do so without medical supervision, they may develop high levels of cholesterol. This in turn increases risk of serious conditions, including heart disease , heart attack , and stroke. If these measures do not prove effective, a doctor may suggest an alternative to statins. People should not stop or change the dosage of medications unless advised by a healthcare professional.
Scientists are still learning about what can help with statin muscle pain. However, some research suggests that the following may prove helpful:. People can also avoid consuming things that may contribute to the pain, such as alcohol, grapefruit, starfruit, and pomegranate. A person who cannot tolerate statins can consult their doctor about trying a different drug.
The doctor may recommend one of the following:. These drugs are not a direct replacement for statins, and each has different uses. A person may need to take more than one of these drugs or take them alongside statins to reduce their cholesterol levels.
On rare occasions, statins may also cause a person to develop more serious muscle conditions, such as:. Immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy IMNM is a rare condition that causes cells to die. According to a review , it affects two to three statin users per , They are routinely recommended for people who have cardiovascular disease and for many people ages 40 to 75 who don't have cardiovascular disease but have at least one risk factor high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, or smoking and a 7.
Moreover, recent research indicates that they may benefit high risk individuals over age 75 as well. Taking a statin may give you some assurance that you're doing all you can to avoid heart attack and stroke, but you may also experience side effects.
Reported side effects include an increased chance of developing diabetes — which is largely restricted to people who are already at risk for diabetes, and who can be monitored with glucose or hemoglobin A1c tests. Statin use has also been associated with difficulties with memory and reasoning, although there is no clear evidence that the drugs were responsible. In very rare cases, statins may cause liver problems or a potentially life-threatening breakdown in muscle cells.
However, the most common side effect is muscle pain and cramping. It is unclear why these symptoms may be more common in women, but it could be because they tend to be older, have smaller bodies, and more additional health issues than men do when they begin to take the medications. Women are also more likely than men to have undiagnosed low levels of thyroid hormone, which increases the risk of statin-related side effects.
Keep track of any new symptoms that develop when you begin taking a statin, and report them to your doctor. Some symptoms may go away as you continue to take the medication.
If you're taking the statin preventively, your doctor may try to determine if your muscle pain symptoms are actually due to the statin by suggesting a brief holiday from the drug to see if they disappear when you're not taking it. However, don't stop taking a statin without telling your doctor. Although there are no proven remedies for statin-related muscle pain, the following may help.
There is some evidence that people who have exercised regularly before taking statins are less likely to experience muscle pain and cramping. However, in people already susceptible due to their genes or lifestyle, the leak caused by statins may overwhelm the muscle cells, giving rise to muscle pain and weakness.
The findings explain why only some people experience muscle pain after taking statins and could help doctors to identify those most likely to experience symptoms so they can be offered alternative therapies. The researchers also showed that exercise may prevent the changes which lead to calcium leaks from occurring, and it may be an effective way for people taking statins to avoid muscle symptoms.
Statins reduce a person's risk of a heart attack or stroke by lowering the levels of so-called 'bad cholesterol' in the body. They are particularly beneficial for people who have already had a heart attack or stroke and are also effective in those who are identified as being at risk of having one in future.
Although side effects are rare, muscle pain and weakness are important reasons why some people stop taking these potentially life-saving drugs.
Researchers based at the University of Leeds and the Karolinska Institute in Sweden investigated the effects of statins on muscle biopsies from patients taking statins long term and from rats treated with statins for 4 weeks. Treatment with statins compromised gatekeeper proteins called ryanodine receptors, which control calcium release from storage compartments in muscle cells, leading to spontaneous and irregular calcium leaks that could trigger signals promoting cell death.
Pro-cell death signals were elevated in muscles from both people and rats treated with statins compared to untreated controls. Despite the cell changes, statins did not affect muscle function or strength in rats.
These findings support the theory that muscle cells can tolerate the calcium leak, meaning only those who are susceptible experience symptoms. Tasks that were once simple, such as climbing stairs or walking, may make you uncomfortable and tired while using statins. Rhabdomyolysis , or the breakdown of muscle tissue, is a rare side effect of statins that can also cause muscle pain. This disease can cause life-threatening muscle damage. In addition to severe muscle pain, rhabdomyolysis can lead to liver damage, kidney failure, and, in rare cases, death.
According to the FDA, the following statins contain specific warnings on the package inserts about muscle pain and rhabdomyolysis:. Rhabdomyolysis sounds scary, but the average statin user does not have to worry about developing this disorder. However, taking high doses of statins or taking them with certain other drugs can increase your risk of this condition. If you have muscle pain while you take a statin, tell your doctor right away.
Your doctor may take you off of the statin for a while to see how your body responds. Although your muscle pain could be caused by the drug, it might be caused by something else. There are also things that you can do to help reduce your pain. For example, avoid exercising too much. This aggravates muscle aches. Also avoid using over-the-counter pain relievers. Some people are more likely to develop side effects from statins, including muscle pain. Certain factors may increase this risk.
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