Although it’s an “old” drug, it’s still working
“The side effects of statin are not so terrible
The reporter of Dahe Daily, Lin Hui
Read the tips | “My father used to take this drug, 20 to 30 years later, the doctor prescribed it to me, so old, there are side effects, is there no new drug to replace it?” Mr. Zhang, a hyperlipidemic patient, is somewhat resistant to statin lipid-lowering drugs. Wang Yongxia, Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Henan College of Traditional Chinese Medicine
The doctor said that statin lipid-lowering drugs are the first choice for lowering total serum cholesterol, and that lipid-lowering treatment is very important for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases and needs to be taken for a long time, while liver enzyme abnormalities caused by statin drugs are transient.
Lipid-lowering drugs need to be taken for a long time
“Hyperlipidemia is a disorder of lipid metabolism. By taking lipid-lowering drugs, blood lipids can be controlled within the normal range for a long time, but it does not mean that it is cured.” Wang Yongxia, director of the first ward of cardiology department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Henan College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, said that for lipid regulating drugs, there is no evidence that lipid can be reduced or stopped after reaching the standard, and clinical observation shows that reduction of lipid-lowering drugs after reaching the standard often causes lipid rebound, “as long as there are no special circumstances, such as serious or intolerable adverse reactions, lipid-lowering drugs should not be reduced or stopped “.
“Studies have shown that for every 1% reduction in serum triglycerides and cholesterol, the incidence of coronary heart disease decreases by 2%. This shows that lipid-lowering treatment is very important for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases.” Zhou Lihua, chief physician of the Department of Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Medicine at the Third Affiliated Hospital of Henan College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, said the most commonly used clinical lipid-regulating drugs are statin lipid-lowering drugs, which have been used clinically since the 1980s and have been proven to significantly reduce serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels, reduce lipids in atheromatous plaques, reduce inflammation and improve endothelial function, thereby effectively preventing cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease incidence and mortality.
“Most people tolerate statin lipid-lowering drugs well, and as long as they are taken reasonably and side effects are monitored, they can be detected and treated early and rarely cause serious consequences.” Zhou Lihua said that after 1 month of taking the medication, the blood lipids can be rechecked to find out if they meet the standard. If the standard has been reached, the original dose can be continued; if the standard has not been reached, it is often necessary to adjust the dose or consider combining with other lipid-lowering drugs, “of course, this should be done under the guidance of a doctor, because blindly increasing the dose does not necessarily improve the lipid-lowering effect, but increases the side effects.”
Adverse reactions increase with the dose
“It’s a drug with three toxins.” Zhou Lihua said the side effects of statin lipid-lowering drugs are mainly liver and kidney function damage and myopathy, followed by gastrointestinal reactions, such as constipation, abdominal pain, bloating and indigestion, etc. Rashes and headaches may also occur, resulting in rare cases of death.
“The most common liver problem during the use of statin lipid-lowering drugs is an increase in serum transaminases, the value of which usually increases with increasing dose.” Zhou Lihua said that the vast majority of liver enzyme abnormalities are transient abnormalities, and serum transaminases will also recover naturally after reducing the dose or stopping use. “Patients with liver and kidney disease should be tested for a month or two after taking the medication for lipid decline, and liver function and muscle enzymes should be rechecked.
“For those who cause gastrointestinal reactions, they can be taken after meals or under the guidance of a doctor to protect the gastric mucosa.” Wang Yongxia said the most serious side effect of statin lipid-lowering drugs is the appearance of a very rare myopathy. Once myopathy occurs, the patient feels muscle pain and weakness, and a blood test shows a significant increase in a component called creatine kinase (CK), which can be diagnosed if it is more than 10 times higher than normal.
“If myopathy occurs and the patient does not pay attention or the doctor fails to diagnose correctly, continuing to take the medication may lead to further muscle lysis and kidney failure, and in severe cases, death.” Wang Yongxia reminded that if you feel muscle discomfort, weakness, or brownish urine, you should see a doctor early and strive for timely diagnosis and early treatment.
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