Prednisone and cholesterol

[Kanguish]

Does prednisone known to raise your cholesterol?

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Yes, it is a listed side effect. Both LDL and HDL and triglyceride levels may rise.

[Rose54]

Hi

I should imagine that if you do have a increase appetite your cholesterol may be raised but that's not the Preds causing it.

Other will have more knowledge

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Rose54]

Sorry Rose - pred can raise LDL and HDL cholesterol and triglycerides.

[Rose54]

PMRpro

Thanks that makes me feel much better knowing its not really my fault as never had high cholesterol till PMR struck

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Rose54]

Not all bad then!! I don't know about you - I also refuse point blank to take statins ever again!

[Hidden in reply to PMRpro]

Me too!

[JulieR2 in reply to PMRpro]

Do you know I have refused statins too! But I am being told they really are a wonder drug and are supposed to make you loose excessive hair thinking of taking them for that reason alone I didn’t want to take another pill but if I can’t get my cholesterol down I may reconsider.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to JulieR2]

I do believe there was more evidence published a few weeks ago that they aren't the wonder drug the manufacturers would have you believe. But I took one for 10 days - half dose only - and was almost in a wheelchair! I couldn't walk more than 50m and I felt like death. My cardiologist was fine about it. Too low cholesterol is as bad as too high cholesterol in some ways and it all depends on your risk factors. Mine otherwise are low enough to say no thanks.

[Hidden]

Just had my blood work done... the powers that be are very concerned that my cholesterol is 8.8. They weren't happy two years ago when it was 6.4, and they advised me to start taking a statin, which I refused to take. Dr Hughes and my Brighton Rheumy both suggested I wait until I'm taking under 20 mg of Pred for a period of time and have it checked out again. I concur!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Hidden]

Have you had a cardiovascular event (as they so nicely put it, it means stroke or heart attack)? There is no evidence that statins protect a woman from a first event - although they may reduce the chances of a second one. There was a bit of fudging...

[Hidden in reply to PMRpro]

No, cardiovascular events... thank goodness. My father, who had high cholesterol, had his first heart attack at 63... I'm 63. : ( He had a second more serious "event" at 67 which required a triple bypass. He died of a massive heart attack at 77. Everyone else in my family has died of cancer... What's my plan? My plan is to "go" while leisurely walking through the hills of Tuscany or Provence... no cancer for me! I am willing it so.

[Chrob in reply to Hidden]

I used to say, I will pop off hang gliding when I’m 136 . A walk in Tuscany sounds more like it now .

[Kanguish]

Thank you for everyone’s responses. I’m just concerned because I’m 50 years old and my cholesterol has always been around 150, now I’m on prednisone for three weeks and it’s up to 68. I’m not eating much so I can’t blame it on the food -so I guess it is the medicine

[Kanguish]

Meant to say up to 268

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Kanguish]

That is a step up!!!! What are the LDL and HDL figures? My HDL is high enough for most doctors to say it is still fine.

[Kanguish]

Yes- my HDL was fine also - my doctors weren’t concerned either

[Insight329]

jamanetwork.com/journals/ja...

Last paragraph in the article from JAMA (Editor's Note) Statin therapy may be associated with a variety of musculoskeletal disorders, including myopathy, myalgias, muscle weakness, back conditions, injuries, and arthropathies.3 These disorders may be particularly problematic in older people and may contribute to physical deconditioning and frailty. Statins have also been associated with cognitive dysfunction, which may further contribute to reduced functional status, risk of falls, and disability. The combination of these multiple risks and the ALLHAT-LLT data showing that statin therapy in older adults may be associated with an increased mortality rate2 should be considered before prescribing or continuing statins for patients in this age category.

(But they were looking at people much older than you.)

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Insight329]

And the reduction in mortality for over 65s was hardly earth-shattering was it?

[Insight329 in reply to PMRpro]

Nope. I was surprised at the 8.8 (yr. 2000) to 34.1% (2012) use. I suppose I shouldn’t have been as I don’t think I know anyone in my age bracket or higher who hasn’t been asked to go on it.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Insight329]

Brilliant marketing - and selective use of results...

Simvastatin was the first and the end of the first big longer term study on its use was 1994. There would have been a bit of a lag in uptake - still under patent, expensive, even doctors not convinced.

[Insight329 in reply to PMRpro]

Whao! That’s unsettling. Especially since that’s what I was on until I joined this forum and was encouraged to take a look at my meds, research them, discuss with doc, and then decide if needed. It would certainly be interesting, to say the least, to see what a study done today would produce.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Insight329]

People have reanalysed the figures - and found there is a difference between men and women for example. Using statins in a woman who has not yet had a "cardiovascular event" makes no difference to her having one. They DO make a difference for women who have had one, reducing the incidence of second events, and for men both in terms of first and repeat events. But why would you say that and lose a lot of your target audience?

Simvastatin actually lists PMR as a potential adverse effect of taking it! And one cardiology unit in northern USA (I think) has banned it from their drug list! It is the one most complaints are aired about - but it was first so now the cheapest and so used longer and more than the others.

[Insight329 in reply to PMRpro]

If you have those studies handy, would you share them with me? Absolutely, no rush (and you can tell me to research it myself - that’s what some of our dics would tell the students to help them expznd their research skills).

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Insight329]

Oh lord - no idea, I would have to search them too.

[Insight329 in reply to PMRpro]

No problem. Like the students, I, too, can use more experience in searching for answers.

[HeronNS in reply to Insight329]

I read a book called Overdo$ed America, second edition had a section on this statin issue.

[Insight329 in reply to HeronNS]

Thanks, Heron, I’ve made note. I’ll pop to our library or bookstore to see if they have it.