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Statin muscle pain is more common then you think. Will switching statins help?
“I feel pain and weakness in my muscles.”
If you have been taking a statin and you face the above situation, it is possible you may be experiencing a side effect from your statin.
What are statins?
It is alarming that more than 71 million Americans have been diagnosed with high cholesterol. There is no cure for high cholesterol, but you can control it. Statins have been around for 30 years and are considered the most trusted class of drugs that help to control your high cholesterol.
Are statins safe to use?
The short answer is yes, but like all medications, they are not without their risks. Through this article we will discuss both the risks and benefits of statin therapy.
Common statin side effects
Some of the most common side effects associated with a statin are:
- Headache
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- Muscle pain
- Weakness
Cause of these side effects
The risk of statin side effects increases as the dosage of the statin increases. The higher your statin dose, the higher the concentration of statin in your blood, leading to the higher the risk of a side effect.
What no one tells you
How statins help
Statins are clinically proven to reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events, including heart attacks and stroke†.
Statins are considered an effective class of drugs and have been around for over 30 years. The efficacy and utilization of statins across the globe clearly indicate that the potential benefits exceed their risk.
Statin dosage a problem
Statin dosage is an important factor that could increase the probability of statin side effects. Your doctor will help you decide your statin dose based on your cholesterol levels and your risk of developing heart disease.
If you are taking a higher dosage statin (e.g., 80 mg of atorvastatin), then there is a higher chance you may experience side effects.
If you experience side effects, you should talk to your doctor. Altering the statin dosage or changing to a different statin are effective ways of treating patients reporting such adverse side effects.
Pitavastatin – the newest statin to be approved – may be an option for you
Pitavastatin is a next-generation statin and the most recent to be approved in the U.S. Pitavastatin differs from other statins in the way our body processes it. At the highest dose (4 mg), only 3.1% of patients experience side effects from muscle pain.
In clinical studies, 4 mg pitavastatin was demonstrated to lower cholesterol:
- As effectively as atorvastatin 20 mg
- As effectively as simvastatin 40 mg
- Better than pravastatin 40 mg
Where to get Pitavastatin
Marley Drug offers Pitavastatin (brand name Zypitamag) for $1 per day* without any insurance hassles. This price is 50% lower than at other pharmacy in the U.S*!
- No insurance is needed
- Free Shipping Nationwide
- Available to all patients*
- Plus – receive the first 30 days FREE with a valid Rx*!
Click here to learn more.
* Conditions may apply. Visit www.marleydrug.com for more information. This offer is currently not available to Alabama residents.
† The effect of pitavastatin on cardiovascular morbidity and mortality has not been determined.
