The NHS has issued guidance advising patients taking statins to stop their medication immediately and seek urgent medical help if they experience certain symptoms. Statins are prescribed to lower levels of LDL cholesterol, often called 'bad cholesterol', and reduce the risk of strokes, heart attacks, and other cardiovascular conditions.
Common side effects of statins include nausea, headaches, cold-like symptoms, constipation, diarrhoea, and feeling weak or dizzy. The NHS advises patients to talk to their doctor or pharmacist if they experience any side effects that bother them or persist, as a lower dose or different statin may be recommended.
However, the NHS warns of serious adverse reactions that require immediate medical attention. For atorvastatin, pravastatin, rosuvastatin, and simvastatin, patients should stop taking the medication and call 111 or contact a doctor straight away if they notice symptoms such as muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness, particularly if accompanied by fever or dark urine.
If serious breathing or swallowing problems develop, patients must call 999 or go directly to A&E. Other warning signs of a severe allergic reaction include swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat, difficulty breathing, and a rash that appears swollen, raised, itchy, blistered, or peeling.
