Statins increase the risk of muscle disease by 36% in diabetics

This study was published in Clinical Therapeutics 2008 Mar;30(3):535-42

Study title and authors
The risk of myopathy associated with thiazolidinediones and statins in patients with type 2 diabetes: a nested case-control analysis.

Koro CE, Sowell MO, Stender M, Qizilbash N.
Worldwide Epidemiology, GlaxoSmithKline, Collegeville, Pennsylvania 19426, USA. carol.e.koro@gsk.com

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18405791

This study investigated the association of statins and various antidiabetic drugs with the risk of myopathy (muscle disease) in patients with type two diabetes. The study included 3,696 patients with myopathy who were matched with 21,871 controls.

The study found that compared with patients who did not use either statins nor antidiabetic drugs, those who used statins had a 36% increased risk of muscle disease.

Statin users suffer from significantly more musculoskeletal pain

This study was published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine 2008 Aug;23(8):1182-6

Study title and authors:
Prevalence of musculoskeletal pain and statin use.

Buettner C, Davis RB, Leveille SG, Mittleman MA, Mukamal KJ.
Division of General Medicine and Primary Care, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA 02215, USA. cbuettne@bidmc.harvard.edu

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18449611

This study sought to evaluate whether statin use was associated with a higher prevalence of musculoskeletal pain. The study included 3,580 participants, aged 40 or over, without arthritis.

The study found:
(a) Compared to persons who did not use statins, those who used statins had a 50% increased risk for any musculoskeletal pain.
(b) Compared to persons who did not use statins, those who used statins had a 59% increased risk for lower back pain.
(c) Compared to persons who did not use statins, those who used statins had a 50% increased risk for lower extremity pain.

This study finds that statin users are significantly more likely to report musculoskeletal pain compared to persons who did not use statins. 

2% increased risk of death for patients with kidney disease who take statins

This study was published in the Lancet 2011 Jun 25;377(9784):2181-92

 

Study title and authors:

The effects of lowering LDL cholesterol with simvastatin plus ezetimibe in patients with chronic kidney disease (Study of Heart and Renal Protection): a randomised placebo-controlled trial.

Baigent C, Landray MJ, Reith C, Emberson J, Wheeler DC, Tomson C, Wanner C, Krane V, Cass A,

Clinical Trial Service Unit and Epidemiological Studies Unit, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21663949/

This study investigated the effect of a daily dose of simvastatin 20 mg plus ezetimibe 10 mg in patients with chronic kidney disease. This randomised double-blind trial included 9,270 patients with chronic kidney disease (3,023 on dialysis and 6,247 not) with no known history of myocardial infarction or coronary revascularisation. The trial lasted for 4.9 years and 4,650 patients were assigned to receive simvastatin plus ezetimibe and 4,620 to placebo.

The study found that patients who received simvastatin plus ezetimibe had a 2% increased risk of death compared to the patients who received placebo.

Statins increase the risk of cataracts by 20%

This study was published in Drug Safety 2013 Jun 15

 

Study title and authors:

Statin Use and Cataract Surgery: A Nationwide Retrospective Cohort Study in Elderly Ethnic Chinese Patients.

Lai CL, Shau WY, Chang CH, Chen MF, Lai MS.

Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital Hsin-Chu Branch, Hsin-Chu, Taiwan.

 

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23771795

This study investigated the relationship between statin therapy and cataracts. The study included 50,165 adults aged between 65 and 90 years who were followed for an average of 10.7 years.

The study found that statin users had a 20% increased risk of cataract surgery compared to statin non-users.  

Statin major adverse effects have been under-reported and the way in which they withheld from the public, and even concealed, is a scientific farce

This paper was published in the Open Journal of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Vol. 3 No. 3, 2013, pp. 179-185

 

Study title and authors:

The Ugly Side of Statins. Systemic Appraisal of the Contemporary Un-Known Unknowns

S. Sultan and N. Hynes

 

This paper can be accessed at: http://www.scirp.org/journal/PaperInformation.aspx?PaperID=34065

This paper undertook a comprehensive review of the scientific literature for articles relating to cardiovascular primary prevention and statin side effects.

 

The review found:

(a) There is a categorical lack of clinical evidence to support the use of statin therapy in primary prevention.

(b) Not only is there a dearth of evidence for primary cardiovascular protection, there is ample evidence to show that statins actually augment cardiovascular risk in women, patients with Diabetes Mellitus and in the young.

(c) Statins are associated with triple the risk of coronary artery and aortic artery calcification.
(d) There is increased risk of diabetes mellitus, cataract formation, and erectile dysfunction in young statin users.
(e) There is a significant increase in the risk of cancer and neurodegenerative disorders in the elderly plus an enhanced risk of a myriad of infectious diseases.
(f) A review of the use of statins found evidence of selective reporting of outcomes and failure to report adverse events.

Sultan concluded: "These finding on statin major adverse effects had been under-reported and the way in which they withheld from the public, and even concealed, is a scientific farce".