Do statins affect blood pressure?

Conclusion: Statins lower blood pressure by cholesterol-independent mechanisms, and the reduction is larger in individuals with higher blood pressure and those with low HDL-C.

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Do statins affect heart rate or blood pressure?

Statins are the most widely prescribed and effective medication for reducing low density lipoprotein cholesterol. Statins may also lower resting blood pressure (BP); however, results are inconsistent.

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How much do statins lower blood pressure?

Systolic blood pressure was significantly lower in patients on statin than in those on placebo or control hypolipidemic drug (mean difference: −1.9 mm Hg; 95% CI: −3.8 to −0.1).

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What are the two most common adverse effects of statins?

Statins block an enzyme the liver needs to make cholesterol. This causes the liver to remove cholesterol from the blood. While statins are highly effective and safe for most people, they have been linked to muscle pain, digestive problems and mental fuzziness in some people. Rarely, they may cause liver damage.

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What do cardiologists say about statins?

Statins can stabilize cholesterol plaque already attached to artery walls, making it less likely to get worse or rupture, causing a heart attack or stroke. "Statins also help remove cholesterol from you blood by causing the liver to express more LDL cholesterol receptors that take cholesterol out of your blood," Dr.

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Study Confirms What Many Patients Taking Statins Have Said for Years | NBC Nightly News

16 related questions found

Why do some doctors not recommend statins?

Statin use has been linked to a higher risk of developing diabetes because the medication can fuel mild glucose elevations in predisposed individuals — an effect that can often be countervailed by exercise and losing as little as a few pounds.

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Can you get off statins once you start?

It's important to know that stopping statins cold turkey, or even gradually, can cause serious health problems and you should talk to your doctor before doing so.

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What is the negative side of statins?

feeling sick. feeling unusually tired or physically weak. digestive system problems, such as constipation, diarrhoea, indigestion or farting. muscle pain.

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What is the main concern when taking statins?

Statins should be taken with caution if you're at an increased risk of developing a rare side effect called myopathy, which is where the tissues of your muscles become damaged and painful. Severe myopathy (rhabdomyolysis) can lead to kidney damage. Things that can increase this risk include: being over 70 years old.

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What should you avoid when taking statins?

Grapefruit juice can affect some statins and increase your risk of side effects. Your doctor may advise you to avoid it or to only consume it in small quantities. There are no known interactions between statins and alcohol.

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Will 5mg of statin lower cholesterol?

Our study reported that both 5 mg and 10 mg rosuvastatin significantly decreases blood cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL levels.

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Can I take blood pressure and cholesterol medication at the same time?

Taking daily doses of two blood pressure drugs (fixed dose candesartan and hydrochlorothiazide) along with a cholesterol-lowering drug (low-dose rosuvastatin), proved to be the most effective, cutting first-time strokes by 44 percent among patients at intermediate risk for heart disease.

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Is 10mg of statin a lot?

The usual dose for adults is between 10mg and 80mg a day. Your dose depends on the reason why you're taking it, your cholesterol levels, and what other medicines you're taking.

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What is the relationship between statins and hypertension?

In experimental studies, statins have been shown to lower blood pressure through increased nitric oxide bioavailability and improved arterial compliance. The clinical significance of this effect remains poorly documented.

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Can statins weaken the heart?

Since statins can cause muscle damage, they could theoretically also harm the heart--which is, essentially, a big muscle--although there is no evidence that this is the case.

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Do statins cause plaque buildup in arteries?

Statins help lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, also known as “bad” cholesterol, in the blood. They draw cholesterol out of plaque and stabilize plaque, Blaha says.

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Do statins make you gain weight?

Statin use is associated with increased calorie intake and consequent weight gain. It is speculated that statin‐dependent improvements in lipid profile may undermine the perceived need to follow lipid‐lowering and other dietary recommendations leading consequently to increased calorie intake.

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What can I take instead of statins to lower cholesterol?

7 cholesterol-lowering alternatives to statins
  • Fibrates. Mostly used for lowering triglyceride levels in patients whose levels are very high and could cause pancreatitis. ...
  • Plant stanols and sterols. ...
  • Cholestyramine and other bile acid-binding resins. ...
  • Niacin. ...
  • Policosanol. ...
  • Red yeast rice extract (RYRE) ...
  • Natural products.

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Are statins worth the risk?

Although there are some potential side effects long-term for statins, in most cases, if your doctor has identified you as having high cholesterol and needing a statin, the benefits greatly outweigh the risks. Muscle aches are among the most common complaints.

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Why do people not want to take statins?

Statins are effective, accessible, and affordable. However, well-known side effects like muscle pain keep some people from taking them.

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Why do statins have to be taken at night?

Many statins work more effectively when they are taken at night. This is because the enzyme which makes the cholesterol is more active at night. Also, the half-life, or the amount of time it takes for half the dose to leave your body, of some statins is short.

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How high should cholesterol be before taking statins?

There's no debate that individuals with LDL levels above 190 should be on a cholesterol-lowering medicine, but according to a 2022 study, less than half of such individuals in their 20s and 30s are prescribed a statin.

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Is there an alternative to taking statins?

Ezetimibe. Ezetimibe is a tablet that lowers cholesterol. It may be prescribed if statins cannot be taken, or alongside a statin for extra cholesterol-lowering.

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Will my cholesterol go up if I stop statins?

If you're taking a statin medication to lower your cholesterol, you will need to keep taking your prescription, or your cholesterol will likely go back up. Stopping your statin can put you at risk of having heart disease and other preventable health problems like stroke and heart attack from high cholesterol.

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