The NHS has issued guidance advising patients taking statins to stop their medication immediately and seek urgent medical help if they experience certain specific symptoms. Statins are prescribed to lower levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, often referred to as 'bad cholesterol', which can increase the risk of strokes, heart attacks, angina, and coronary heart disease.
While most people do not experience side effects, common reactions include nausea, headaches, cold-like symptoms, constipation, diarrhoea, and feeling weak or dizzy. The NHS advises: 'Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you get any side effects at all, and if they bother you or do not go away. Your doctor may recommend trying a lower dose of pravastatin or a different statin.'
However, the NHS also warns about serious adverse reactions that require immediate medical attention. For statins such as atorvastatin, pravastatin, rosuvastatin, and simvastatin, patients should stop taking the medication and call 111 or contact a doctor straight away if they notice any of the following symptoms: muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness; unexplained tiredness; loss of appetite; stomach pain; dark-coloured urine; or yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes.
In the event of serious breathing or swallowing problems, patients must call 999 or go directly to A&E. Other warning signs of a severe allergic reaction include a rash that appears swollen, raised, itchy, blistered, or peeling, as well as swelling of the face, mouth, or throat.
