Nearly 21 million patients in the United States were prescribed statins, a cholesterol-reducing drug, last year. Now, federal health officials are adding new alerts to statins about the rare risks of memory loss, increased blood sugar levels and muscle pain.
The Food and Drug Administration has now officially linked statins, such as Lipitor, Zocor, and Crestor, with cognitive problems including confusion and forgetfulness. The F.D.A. has also pointed out that statins may increase blood sugar levels minimally in some people, thus increasing the nation’s diagnosis of diabetes. Additionally, when statins are taken in high doses, the patient has an increased risk of muscle pain.
For years, the F.D.A. has debated the side effects vs. the benefit and whether the number of patients being prescribed statins was too high or too low. However, even with the new alerts, officials still stress that the benefit of preventing heart disease is irrefutable, and that with any drug, it should be taken with caution.
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