Statins are drugs used to lower blood cholesterol levels and prevent cardiovascular diseases. Several clinical studies have shown that statin medication reduces the risk of acute myocardial infarction, stroke and death due to circulatory system diseases by about 25% -35%. Chronic medication with statins is especially important in people who already suffer from cardiovascular disease, as in these cases it is possible to reduce the risk of disease progression and new events by almost 50%. Medication with statins and side effects Many patients taking statins report side effects . The most frequent are, among others: Myalgia or muscle pain; Arthralgia or joint pain; Weakness and general pain; Nausea; Intestinal disorders; Skin changes. Two to five people in 10 report experiencing side effects during continued statin medication, often deciding to stop taking it, which has risks to their health. Discontinuation of statin medication can increase the risk of acute myocardial infarction or stroke by 2 to 3 times, in the days and weeks following its discontinuation. What scientific knowledge tells us Recently, the results of the clinical study SAMSON study. This study aimed to analyze why patients experience side effects when taking statins. The researchers looked at 60 patients who had side effects attributed to statins in the past year. For three months, patients were subjected to 3 successive 30-day periods in which: They did not take any medication; They took medication with a placebo (pill without any drug and therefore it has no effect); They took medication with a statin. During each of these periods, patients were asked to report their symptoms and intensity in an application on their smartphone. At the end of the study, SAMSON researchers verified the following: During the period they took the placebo, patients had more side effects than during the period they were not taking any medication. Surprisingly, during the period they took the statin, the symptoms of the patients were superimposed on those of the period when they took the placebo. What is the main conclusion of the study? The fact of taking a medicine that can have side effects, makes patients complain, even if the medicine is a placebo, that is, without any active ingredient in its composition and, therefore, without any effect. In the SAMSON study , 90% of the complaints attributed to the medication, were explained by the so-called nocebo effect, which means that the pessimistic belief and expectation lead that an individual can develop symptoms attributable to a treatment, which in reality is inert and without any potential effects. To know Whenever a doctor prescribes statins, medication must be followed. Statins are beneficial drugs for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease, and when they are prescribed, they only benefit those who take them. The SAMSON study reinforces that statins are safe drugs and that most side effects reported by patients are attributable to individual, and possibly collective, beliefs, largely motivated by the media and misinformation. If you have been prescribed statins and have side effects, always talk to your doctor before deciding to stop treatment. References: Fulcher J, O'Connell R, Voysey M, Emberson J, Blackwell L, Mihaylova B, et al. Efficacy and safety of LDL-lowering therapy among men and women: meta-analysis of individual data from 174,000 participants in 27 randomised trials . Lancet 2015;385:1397-405. Heeschen C, Hamm CW, Laufs U, Snapinn S, Böhm M, White HD. Withdrawal of statins increases event rates in patients with acute coronary syndromes . Circulation 2002;105:1446-52. Matthews A, Herrett E, Gasparrini A, Van Staa T, Goldacre B, Smeeth L, et al. Impact of statin related media coverage on use of statins: interrupted time series analysis with UK primary care data . BMJ 2016;353:i3283. Mihaylova B, Emberson J, Blackwell L, Keech A, Simes J, Barnes EH, et al. The effects of lowering LDL cholesterol with statin therapy in people at low risk of vascular disease: Meta-analysis of individual data from 27 randomised trials . Lancet 2012;380:581-90. Wood FA, Howard JP, Finegold JA, Nowbar AN, Thompson DM, Arnold AD, Rajkumar CA, et al. N-of-1 Trial of a statin, placebo, or no treatment to assess side effects . N Engl J Med 2020. Author : José Ferreira Santos November, 2020 Meet the cardiology team from Hospital da Luz network . The content published in the Health Guide is intended for the general public and is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It does not replace individual medical assessment, diagnosis, or personalized clinical advice from a qualified healthcare professional. The content is produced or reviewed by physicians and other healthcare professionals at Hospital da Luz and is based on the knowledge available at the time of publication or the most recent update, as indicated at the beginning of each item.
