Cholesterol 5.1 overall, CT scan showed potential CAD - echo and possible angioplast to be done in due course. I've been told in no uncertain terms I have to take statins. I'm not overly enamoured about that as there seems to be so many varying studies; some say they'll give you dementia and muscle wasting, others say they prevent dementia and pain is limited - its an absolute minefield. I'm not overly keen on meds full stop, but have agreed to 75mg aspirin.
Any help either way welcome - I'm reading a lot about red yeast rice?
Thank you
Colin
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Womble1007
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Hi, also a new member, 64 y.o . Cholesterol at a similar level to yours for last couple years. Resisted statin when previously "offered", however had HA in April so was put on a statin straight away (80mg Atorvastatin) was giving pretty bad leg muscle pain so recently took a 3 week break and now just restarted on 5mg Rosuvastatin and so far so good but it is a low dose and I've also started a Coq 10 supplement. I'd much prefer not to take and I'm dieting to also hopefully get cholesterol down, blood test due in a month or so to see if any progress. So if you have a decent GP that you can access and will work with you to find the best solution that would be good. I also take the same dose aspirin as you. I too see discussion about dementia but all I would say is having had a HA I am reluctantly gonna stick with statin but hopefully a lowish dose to minimize side effects, good luck.
Sensible reply IMO. Hope you have some success regarding the diet but I tried it, sticking very strictly to a plant based one for 2 months, levels sadly went back to previous. I have also looked into Coq10 but am not convinced, there are no peer reviewed studies or even one's from reliable sources that say anything other than more research is needed. If you have CAD you are more at risk of vascular dementia anyway which makes Statins a sensible choice I think?
You could spend half your life "researching" statins, there is loads of information on it on the internet and forums - some if it is complete rubbish, I have never seen any studies that link it to Dementia, for example. Make sure any information you use to make a decision is peer reviewed. Personally I would forget things like red yeast rice, whatever that is, along with supplements that are often recommended from some sources when in fact there is little or no evidence of their efficacy. If you have CAD then you need to get your cholesterol down below 4 and you won't do that with supplements or dieting.
If you don't mind me saying, you seem to be a bit anti-med's? Personally I would be more anti-Heart Attack in your position, but it is up to you. It's not really a minefield, the advice from most professional's including this forum is that statins will both lower your cholesterol along with stabilising any plaque you may have. Obviously there is no guarantee but it's a hell of a safer bet than red yeast rice! If you are worried about dementia and you have CAD then you are at far more risk of vascular dementia anyway. It's up to you, but in your position I would be very careful of letting some of the supposed advice making you regret a decision now, in the future.
Edit: Forgot to add, if you are worried about muscle wasting the best course of action is exercise, which you also need to be starting if you don't already. In some circumstances Statins can cause muscle aches (I've had plenty) but it's more likely they are age related or brought on by reading too much Dr google. If you do get them there is a simple blood test that can be done anyway.
I tend to research my medical conditions and medications thoroughly having started my working life in R&D within ICI and finished it working on medical sensors.
Firstly Red Yeast Rice Extract (RYRE) is not really a natural product as it is an extract of red rice fermented with Monascus purpureus yeast. so at best it is as natural as Guinness or red wine! The next point is that the active ingredient is Monacolin K which may be prescribed to you as Lovastatin (bet that surprises you?).
Statins are well researched with the research being peer reviewed. There are also very tight controls over its manufacture and dosage which is not the case with RYRE. Also if you buy off the Interweb you may not get the genuine product (Ozempic for treating Type II diabetes is now in short supply as it is prescribed, mainly privately, as a slimming drug - a Channel 4 documentary exposed fake, and potentially dangerous, variants on the Interweb). RYRE can interact with many common drugs so you should talk to your pharmacist or GP before taking it. It may also cause kidney or liver problems.
Personally I would rather take a statin . I did have muscle aches with Simvastatin but a change to Atorvastatin cured this. With around five types of statin there is usually a statin and dose to suit everyone, and alternatives if none suits. The problem is people post about the negatives buy rarely if they have no issue taking statins. Would people have been put off Penicillin if the Interweb had been around?
It may be a minefield on Dr Google but in the real world statins are prescribed for a good reason and the vast majority of people don't have a problem with them.
If you do have a problem with one type, there are other types you can switch to
HiI am like you anti drugs. I take paracetamol if I need to.
Anyway my cholesterol was high the Dr out me on statins. I was not keen but rather have them than a heart attack.
Tried 5 or 6 statins all gave me side effects. This was severe leg cramp in my calves. The pain was like nothing on earth. The Dr took me off statins saying I was intolerant to them. He said he would speak to the hospital about stating alternative.
Since then I have been trying with my diet and my Dr dies regular cholesterol blood test. My cholesterol has come down to acceptable levels. So the rush for a statin replacement is gone.
So, I am not on statins. I try not to overindulge in foot and walk a lot more. I still have a long way to go re loosing weight,on the right road
I have read a lot of negative things about statins and some from Doctors. So I am very glad I am not on a statin
Good luck. If I was you try to stay off them and try to get your cholesterol down.
But for maximum effect, ezetimibe should be taken in conjunction with statins, as they work on cholesterol in different ways. It is not a substitute for statins.
Yes, I know it is prescribed for people who cannot tolerate statins, but like I said, 'for maximum effect' in treating high cholesterol (esp for people with FH), it should ideally be taken in conjunction with a statin. Statins reduce our cholesterol levels, ezetimibe impedes the absorption of cholesterol from food into our intestine, so it's part of a two-pronged treatment.
It isn't. Cholesterol is produced in your liver, Statins act upon the liver to reduce it. Exetimibe reduces absorbed of cholesterol from ingestion of food, if you ingest less food your liver just makes more, hence it is usually given alongside a Statin.
I went on Exetimibe alone and it hardly made any difference to my cholesterol levels, and had this explained to me at the lipid clinic, Valeriep is correct.
In my case adding 10mg ezetimibe to my daily 80 mg atorvastatin further reduced my total cholesterol from about 4.5 to 5 to about 3.8 which I consider relatively significant, given my natural cholesterol is over 9
Interesting. Do you eat much cholesterol rich food though? I can't imagine you do. Maybe some peoples digestive system is better than others at absorbing it.
It is my layman's understanding that unless you have a diet loaded with lots of saturated fat ,and perhaps also eggs particularly egg yolk, and some types of sea food, the quantity of ingested cholesterol is not a significant factor when it comes to determining levels of blood cholesterol (see below).
And I note for information that I certainly don't qualify or the group above, although I do eat dairy in moderation including butter, and I eat lean meat, again in moderation, and eat eggs now again.
So for those who take ezetimibe, excepting people above, there will be not much contribution from the impact from ezetimibe in its cholesterol managing role when it is linked to dietary cholesterol, since to put it crudely there is not much to go for.
And so since 'most' body cholesterol comes from our liver, and statins and ezetimibe both work on the liver to reduce cholesterol , statins directly and ezetimibe indirectly, it is 'liver' cholesterol that sees the most benefit from taking ezetimibe.
Further, ezetimibe must be perceived by the medical profession to work as intended to lower cholesterol and perhaps provide a better lipid profile, either on its own or in conjunction with statins or bempedoic acid or or other like medication , and this must include our very own NICE with its army of bean counters balancing efficacy vs. cost who have approved it for use within the NHS, .
Maybe it's more effective in some than others. The specialist I saw at the lipid clinic was not hopeful it would do much for me and she was right, however I was already on a low fat diet and most importantly, in her words, undertaking very regular exercise.
As you have said i think it's main role is to supplement Statins in people with high Cholesterol that is not reduced enough with them.
I have a raised level of LP(a) and for me the advice was try and tolerate 80mg Atorvastatin and get as much exercise as possible, which I do, along with keeping my fingers crossed (her words!)
I only wished there had been lipid clinics when I was told I had very high cholesterol over 25 years ago, although the outcome might have been the same. It is likely I have some form of FH since other members of the family are similarly placed regarding their cholesterol. Apart from my NSTEMI when I was under a specialist cardio team for a while my cholesterol management has always been under the GP, and most of that at arms length. And the recent addition of ezetimibe was at my instigation, and even that met with a certain amount of resistance. Nonetheless I'm glad others can take the benefit from these clinics, and also the benefit of other new cholesterol managing medication. My guess is I was at the start of statins being widely prescribed in the UK, which was fortunate since around that time I met someone who told me he was taking some sort of special porridge in an attempt to reduce his cholesterol from 14, (yes 14), which was all that had been made available to him. I often wonder if he is still with us.
TBH I sometimes wish I had not bothered going to it. She asked me if I had ever had an LP(a) test and when I asked what it was she painted a fairly dark picture of what a raised level might mean but not to worry as "I was probably normal". Result came back as medium risk and she back pedalled quite a bit saying don't worry they are not really sure if it is meaningful or not, but to try and tolerate 80mg to bring LDL down as much as possible and exercise as much as possible above anything else. However have felt fine for approaching 6 years now so just keep taking the pills and, as she said, keep my fingers crossed. Running helps me loads mentally.
I can’t take statins and was prescribed Ezetimibe on its own as a “hoop” to jump through before they could prescribe Inclisiran. I was told that it was unlikely to have much effect as my diet was pretty good. It did actually have quite an impact on LDL on its own - not enough, so still ended up on Inclisiran, but still quite an effect. There are also a few research papers out there that suggest that statins and Ezetimibe combined may have a greater plaque stabilisation effect than statins alone (although frustratingly little research about Ezetimibe without statins!). I guess I have my fingers crossed too!
I would imagine you have quite high LDL in the first place though, if you are eligible for Inclisiran? Good for you anyway I was told even if I was eligible my health authority won't provide it due to cost.
You have been given some good advice already, but please remember as pointed out above, statins can reduce cholesterol but very importantly, they can stabilise any existing plaque you may have. If this plaque breaks off, this can cause a heart attack.
Beware of Dr Google. As my cardiologist said to me, I spent many years studying and practising, what makes you think that a few hours researching on Google gives the same knowledge and expertise??? Very true!
Exactly, hence why I put the word research in inverted commas. Makes me chuckle when people do their own "research", with only a very narrow field of vision plus zero experience and qualifications in the subject, then set themselves up as overnight consultants. I use Youtube for fixing my leaky caravan but I give it a miss when it comes to Statins personally.
On my last hospital stay, I was amazed at how many patients in my ward took it upon themselves to tell the consultants on their rounds what treatment and tests they should be receiving, and marvelled at the doctors' patience in taking time to explain why that was not the right treatment for them. I make sure I am fully informed about my own medical problems, but I can't imagine how annoying it must be when, after years of training, you're told your professional opinion is of less value than Google or what a cousin's husband's sister has said!
No doubt. However on my last stay in hospital they were offering me omeprazole with clopidogrel. Little old me had found out previously that they were not recommended together. "Oh yes!" was the reply. "We'll switch that to lansoprazole straightaway". Mmm...
I will also question anything I think is incorrect in my treatment, but there is a difference between querying politely and threatening a consultant that you will not vacate your bed until you've received a certain test when he's already explained to you why it would not be relevant in your case.
I question anything! Period! I respect my doctor’s however if I get into doing my own research, and it does not compare with what my doctor tells me, I will always be on the phone or in his office to clarify and get the “why’s”.
Same thing happened to me. At the end of the day they are not infallible and getting yourself as clued up as possible is fine, so that you can discuss aspects with your own GP, but not to start lecturing professionals or even forum members! I think there are far too many people these days who think they know better than trained professionals, probably a social media influence.
Well in place of Dr Google, what about Dr Claude AI? I asked "I have heard that taking statins can stabilise any existing plaque. Is this true? And what does it mean?". To which I got:
"This is generally correct, but let me explain in more detail:
Statins can help stabilize existing plaque in arteries, which is indeed one of their important benefits. Here's what this means:
*) Plaque stabilization: Statins can make existing plaques in arteries more stable, meaning they're less likely to rupture or break apart.
*) Composition changes: Statins can alter the composition of plaques, making them less fatty and more fibrous. This typically results in a more stable structure.
*) Reduced inflammation: Statins have anti-inflammatory effects, which can help reduce inflammation within plaques. Inflammation can make plaques more vulnerable to rupture.
*) Improved endothelial function: Statins can improve the function of the endothelium (the inner lining of blood vessels), which may contribute to plaque stability.
*) Reduced risk of cardiovascular events: By stabilizing plaques, statins can reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes that occur when unstable plaques rupture.
It's important to note that while statins can stabilize existing plaque, their primary function is to lower cholesterol levels, particularly LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol. This helps prevent new plaque formation and can lead to some regression of existing plaques over time"
Yes but it's answered the specific question you asked. You didn't ask it about cholesterol, so in this case I am quite impressed. The thing is, as AI starts to become more used, how is it's source verified and by who?
In this case it seems spot on to me, which is quite reassuring.
Hi , check out my post Lipid test results on 10mg Rosuvastatin . I posted my lipid test results for 80mg artovastatin (I couldn’t get on with it ) , stopped for nearly 2 months , tried Pravastatin, then Rosuvastatin. Keep in mind that if we are on secondary help ie a statin for a cardiac condition our lipid stats are to be lower than someone not on medication for a heart condition. It also stabilises plaque.
I’m very happy at the moment 👍🏻. Hope it’s helpful .
Statins have a lot of side effects but the main one is they can affect your liver, you need 3 monthly blood tests after starting them. I now can't take them as affect my liver, I had to argue with gp to stop them though,as she wanted to go another 4 months but I knew as they were the only new tablet I was taking, anyway there is another cholesterol lowering drug Ezetimibe that I take as have mild cad, my cholesterol is 5.7 and need to be under 5,so your cholesterol isn't too bad,I am in the older age bracket though 😄
Not sure about people who only have AF but for those with CAD it needs to be below 4 ideally.
As has been commented on by Pasigal, I think the statement "Statins have a lot of side effects" is actually untrue and if you don't mind me saying, typical of the bad press they get. They have side effects for some people, but for most they do not.
There is a HUGE difference between "have side effects" and "have side effects that affect your quality of life."
Take leg pains, for example. Take a minute to read this paragraph from a recent BHF article:
"For every 1000 people taking a moderate intensity statin, the treatment would cause 11 (generally mild) episodes of muscle pain or weakness. This means that the slightly increased risk of muscle symptoms is greatly outweighed by the previously known benefits of statin therapy in preventing cardiovascular disease, including heart attacks and strokes. For example, for every 1000 people taking a moderate intensity statin, the treatment would typically prevent 50 major vascular events (such as heart attacks and strokes) in those with pre-existing vascular disease (secondary prevention), and 25 major vascular events if used for primary prevention."
I agree many doctors are ultra conservative in their thinking, and that Big Pharma plays a huge role in what gets prescribed. In my view, statins should ONLY be prescribed as part of a lifestyle package including exercise, diet and stress management. I would NEVER say, well, carry on eating chips and sausage and living a sedentary life, but hey, just take statins and you'll be fine. And for some people, just modifying their diet might get them to a reasonable LDL level.
That is my understanding from various reviews 1-10% of musculoskeletal pain.Where I am is a don't eat much processed food, that which I do I locally sourced (sausages, bacon), all our food is cooked from scratch and I grow most of my own veg.
Interesting comment on carbs inflammation in another reply, as I do like my ale - that will have to go in any event.
Anyway, point I'm making us I don't have [much] of an issue taking statins - IF I HAVE TO. If I don't, I'd rather not put unnecessary stuff in my body.
On the Internet, you will mostly hear from people who either don't like statins, don't like modern medicine, have some ulterior motive (like rogue "doctors" who are trying to build up their YouTube subscriber count or sell some kind of "plan"), or the tiny percentage who can't tolerate them.
What you won't hear from are the untold millions who take statins with no ill effects and plenty of benefits.
I neglected my cardiac health out of willful ignorance despite a family history of CAD. Then I had a massive heart attack that nearly killed me and would have left my wife and children without their father at the age of 52. My life was saved only by a passing off-duty firefighter and the fact that it happened in a public park with a defibrillator nearby.
I.E., I beat the odds of a 5% survival rate for out of hospital cardiac arrest.
Now, I take the highest dose of statins possible (80 mg atorvastatin + 10 mg ezetimibe.). That and a sensible but not extreme diet have got my LDL down to a very low level. I did try a very low-fat (less than 10% of daily calories) wfpb (whole food plant based) diet for about a month, while also on statins, and it did lower my LDL even more, but it was nearly impossible to follow as I had to prepare my own separate meals, and I had to think about food every waking minute!
I would say that diet can work to lower cholesterol but it's unlikely to get you down into the really low risk range. I have read the few studies that exist about supplements but I'm not convinced, because as noted there's no consensus on dosage or quality. I seriously doubt you could take enough red yeast or mummy dust to lower your cholesterol significantly.
And statins have other benefits such as stabilizing plaque (a rogue bit of which caused my cardiac arrest).
Since you have come here asking for advice, mine is to try statins, of course, but please give them a fair shot -- there are many combinations and one will probably work for you. But also, to not dwell obsessively on any side effects. I take the full cocktail of post HA meds and I'm also 56 years old, so aches and pains are part of life.
I just push through most days, because I can tell you straight up that any pains that may or may not be related to statins are NOTHING compared to the pain of having a full-on heart attack. Trust me on this one.
There’s nothing wrong with doing research online, just stick to information from major teaching hospitals and the NHS web site and here of course, although the advice from the NHS can be pretty limited, much the same as your GP from what I’ve found, the side effects from many of the meds for cholesterol and BP can be really serious, so you need to know what others have reported have happened to them on those meds, I’ve never had a cardiac event, I had 4 stents as a result from an angiogram for intermittent BP spiking 16 months ago, I seem to be able to tolerate BP meds for about a year before my body starts to react, rashes that spread, slight breathlessness, BP all over the place etc, some people can take these meds with no bad side effects, others, like me have real problems finding meds that their body can cope with long term. I’ve gone with a bowl of porridge, spoonful of jam and honey and bit of fruit in it every day, omega 3 fish or fish fingers and other low fat but edible foods, I also decided to take half the dose of Atorvastatin prescribed, just had a test for cholesterol and it’s now at normal level, that’s just me, everyone is different.
I can't speak about plaque but I was told on my cardiac rehab course that the normal range for total cholesterol was between 4.0 and 5.5. I rest my case there. It is your choice and I pray you make the right decision.
Statistics can hide a lot of facts. The biggest is the difference between relative risk and absolute risk! Research into statins is vast and there are still differences of opinions among cardiologists as to their efficacy.
Thanks for all the replies, food for thought there. I'm well aware of the risks of Dr Google, the cardio nurse advised me to read "proper" reviews which I have done - " there are still differences of opinions among cardiologists as to their efficacy" sums it up nicely. We'll see what happens on the echo when that appt comes through.
The echo won't reveal anything to do with plaque in your arteries, it will just allow them to give a reasonably accurate figure for the efficiency of your heart, in other words how well it is working as a pump, as far as I am aware.
At the end of the day, if you have CAD, there are only really 3 things you can do - Exercise, proper diet and medication, so cutting any one of them out is running a risk.
When you say there are still differences of opinion between cardiologists, you need to be careful which ones have the alternative views, as in peer reviewed studies.
In your case, where you haven't actually had any side effects yet (and hopefully wont) but have been told to take them, I think it would be a bad move not to do so, but it's up to you, good luck.
I take 20mg Simvastatin per day (down from 80) and am waiting for a chat with the practice pharmacist regarding stopping them altogether. I have muscle aches and pains but less now I have a lower dose. My main bugbear is the potential gain from statins is very minimal set against the lifestyles of some of the recipients. Someone who is conscious of their diet, exercise, smoking and drinking, has much less to gain than another who isn't health proactive.
Getting older can cause dementia, heart disease, cancer etc which back 50 yrs ago killed most people at between 60 and 70yrs old. However now the life expectancy is far higher due to medical advancement both in procedures, testing, and medicine. However we all have the option to take or not to partake in any of the above although I would prefer to put my trust in a trained professional rather than read up on the internet and newspaper articles.
Take the statins. Nothing else will bring your cholesterol down enough. There's a load of rubbish written online. Yes they can cause muscle pain in a minority of people but there are several different types that don't cause pain. The BHF website has a section of videos called live and ticking. There's an excellent video on there about statins. youtube.com/watch?v=om7PnTd...
My husband wanted to try a natural approach for his slightly high cholesteral and his Dr said he could try red yeast rice, We will find out next month if it helped. Anything natural is worth a try, and if doesnt help atleast you know. Take care
If I understand the OP (original poster)'s question correctly, he so far has no Cardiovascular event (no chest pain, no stents, no strokes, no heart attack), use of statins as a primary prevention may not apply:
I found this video on cholesterol very informative and up to date with testing of Oxidized LDL, which is not usually included in the lipid panel test (only Total Cholesterol, HDL, LDL, no OxLDL)
As another question, how is your HbA1C (blood sugar) level? The root cause(s) of atherosclerosis is inflammation, among them is overly intake of sugars (and carbohydrates), or having insulin resistance (Type 2 Diabetes patients are likely to develop heart diseases). This video from Ivor Cummins gives a 3-minute explanation on insulin resistance, also touches on CAC:
IMO, diets and lifestyle have a direct impact on heart disease, not taking statins to reduce the symptom/marker of which one is OxLDL should be the one to test. And then, taking statins to lower "LDL-C" is like taking acetaminophen to fix the symptoms of headache, not addressing the root causes. And I am surprised health care practitioners blindly follow the "Guidelines" to lower cholesterol with statins, but offer no explanations about inflammation and how to prevent it!
Where do you find me "another Youtube expert" in my post? If you disagree with the point of view that "what really clog our arteries", feel free to counterpoint, no need for name calling!
The root cause of heart diseases is inflammation, not cholesterol again in my opinion. You can believe what you want, cholesterol is the perpetrator and treat it with statins to reduce it, more power to you! And if you think that just taking the pill, without changing your diets (to minimize sugar intake) and sedentary lifestyle, that you can prevent your own heart disease risks, again, more power to you.
When I was at a hospital ward, there was a patient waiting for a presumably heart operation. A nurse came to see him to prep for this. During this conversation, overheard due to the big triage room with just curtains, this guy answered the question about his lifestyle, he replied he still smokes 2 packs of cigarettes a day, after a stent surgery 12 years ago. Now he came back for more stents, or perhaps a bypass surgery. It is his life and what he chose what to do with it, I have no comments, just stating the fact (Btw, no peer reviews on paper/studies needed!)
If we all ate a sensible diet, exercised and, never smoked or drank alcohol, kept inflammation down there's no doubt that heart disease would be massively reduced but it would not be eradicated. Fact is that most people don't live like that until they've been told that damage has already been caused so then it's necessary to treat it. Obviously changing your diet and lifestyle will help but they may need more help than that. I happily take statins since my heart attack; if for nothing else than to stabilise the plaque that's already built up from a lifetime of smoking and eating a rubbish post war type diet. Like my husband I was brought up on a diet of pies, fries, fatty food and carbs. As a result I have heart disease and my husband is diabetic. Shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted. So I will take whatever is offered to improve my chances as well as changing my diet and lifestyle. I'll accept an annual blood test to check my liver isn't being affected. Atorvastatin played havoc with my stomach so I take simvastatin with no ill effects. The original poster has already been told they have CAD. All a doctor can do is offer what treatment they feel will help reduce the risk of a heart attack. It's personal choice to take or leave that advice. Just make sure that you research and make your decisions ONLY from validated medical sources and peer reviewed research.
Absolutely spot on advice. As you say all the older members on here were sadly brought up on what was a pretty poor diet, heart wise at least. Chuck in a genetic propensity and off you go. If you can tolerate a statin, and most can despite the poor press and outright untruths such as we have already seen on this post to the contrary (50% suffering side effects is just rubbish), why not just take it anyway? As you say, even for the stabilising effect it probably has on plaque.
I would take issue with alcohol though. I don't think it is a direct contributing factor, certainly not like smoking is, but rather the very high sugar content that contributes to weight gain. Obviously if one drinks to excess it is going to have a negative effect.
Cholesterol 5.1 overall, CT scan showed potential CAD - echo and possible angioplast to be done in due course. I've been told in no uncertain terms I have to take statins."
I think you read quick and missed that word "potential" CAD. In other words, the statins, as he was told to take, is for primary prevention of CAD, not a secondary prevention for those who already had at least 1 Cardiovascular event. Thus, the argument is either (i) to ingest statins due to potential CAD in the future, or (ii) not taking it!
What about those people for whom exercise, medication and dietary considerations don’t make a difference whatsoever to cholesterol levels? Statins are still prescribed with the intention of increasing plaque stabilisation are they not? Just a question.
IMO you should ask that question to your health care professionals. That said, "The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved labeling changes for statins to notify consumers about side effects and possible drug interactions related to the popular drugs.
Side effects
Statin labels have been updated to outline the potential for non-serious and reversible side effects, which include:
I should mention that all the family and friends I know who are on statins, they don't seem to be aware of the above-mentioned warnings, nor that the drug label does indicates these "reversible" side-effects (stop taking it will reverse back to the original condition)
That’s the US, not UK. I am not aware of any such warnings in the UK, other than side effects outlined on NHS and BHF websites. Others may be.
Personally I am an advocate of statins. I am still alive due to the interventions and medication administered by my GP and other excellent NHS staff. One of those medications is statins.
I am fully aware of the adverse effects they may have on some people, but for me, it’s alive with some unpleasant but manageable side effects, or dead without. I know which I choose so suit yourself.
Just a thought,There's more to heart disease than blocked arteries.
About 10% of heart attacks occur without any permanent blockages of the coronary arteries with plaque.
Myocardial Infarction non obstructive coronary arteries MINOCA, caused by coronary vasospasms, microvascular dysfunction, spontaneous coronary artery dissection, blood clot or piece of broken off plaque blocking the artery.
MINOCA disproportionately effect women.
Then there's Takostubo syndrome and other types of Cardiomyopathy.
Peri parturition Cardiomyopathy, pre eclampsia, preterm births, gestational diabetes, the menopause.
Everyone seems to forget how heart disease effects women differently.
Some people are born with heart disease, some acquire their heart disease due to genetics, life style choices, infection, clotting disorders, kidney disease, following cancer treatment or just bad luck.
That's why I tried to generalise. My mum lived from age 23 to 69 with heart failure caused by eclampsia, lost another baby because of it and more damage done to her heart and her sister died from a heart attack also caused by eclampsia.I also had it but seem to have escaped heart damage even though my BP was uncontrollable and I had to be put into a coma for a week. My paternal grandfather, the youngest of 13 was the only one to live beyond 50. ALL his siblings died of what was then called dropsy. My dad didn't inherit it but did I? NO idea. I do know that post heart attack, a total change of lifestyle and diet had no effect at all on my cholesterol levels. Statins did. SO far ( 6 years) so good. Will it stop me having another heart attack or a stroke? No idea but it's worth a try.
You do know it is not recommended taking Aspirin if you have a heart condition unless you have an artificial part fitted? Like a hip replacement. My Doctor was horrified when I mistakenly asked for aspirin instead of paracetamol. It causes stomach bleeding. I'm on Apixaban for stroke prevention though. Also statins but have no side effects. I'm 80.
He was shocked because you are on apixaban and aspirin greatly increases major bleeding when used with anticoagulants. If not on anticoagulants aspirin is fine for most heart patients other than Afib.
She wasn't shocked, she was horrified until I explained that I meant paracetamol and had used the wrong word, and that was due to the piece of brain I lost when I had a stroke was the bit that prefeches words and controls speech and it left me aphasic so I often use the wrong word. Especially when I'm in a new or emotional situation.
I'm OK on the internet because it allows me to check what I'm saying. If I'd have spoken to her in an email I'd have been OK.
I normally only post on the heart arrhythmia forum. I think that the original post was on a different forum though. The post attracted my attention because it was about statins and I'm a great believer in taking statins.
I find this strange given that probably the vast majority of us on this forum are prescribed aspirin in addition to the usual cocktail of other medication.
Has anybody else been advised they should not be taking aspirin with a heart condition?
True. After my Heart attack, aspirin was the one thing I was told I absolutely MUST take but not with any other anticoagulant. I only had to stay on clopidogrel for 6 months.
I am still on atoravastatin 20mg, i have recently taken a full lipid panel that shoes my apolb is low as is my apol E. Havong a low Apol E is not good for cognitive function. My diet is pretty much Paleo with zero refined sugars. I dont drink alchohol or consume takeaway foods. My diet is to keep my triglycerides as low as possible. By doing this i keep my small dense LDL which is known to be the cause of plaque build up in the arteries.
It works for me and over the last 7 days while on holiday i have walked over 175,000 steps.
Lipid panel is attached.
I have an appointment with my GP next Tuesday to get him to agree to stop the statins.8
Doctors tried me twice on statins in the past and both disagreed with me.
Put on Rosuvastatin after my OHS and it’s been fine, I get on with it with no issues after a year and it’s really been effective in reducing my cholesterol level.
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Statins
statins
Statins 
Statins oh Statins again
Stopping Statins
