Always consult your doctor first
Do you suffer from a lot of muscle aches or cramps, even without breaking a sweat? Then it could be your statins. That is not surprising, because with almost two million Dutch people, you are not the only one who takes these cholesterol-lowering drugs on a daily basis. In the new section ‘Side effect’ you can read everything about side effects of medicines. This time: statins and muscle pain.
Medications are important and can be life-saving. Unfortunately, they also have side effects. In the case of statins, muscle complaints, such as muscle pain and cramps, are the most well-known. Of course, it is not the intention to just stop taking a medicine if you suffer from this. Never do that on your own. Consult with your doctor: sometimes the dosage can be adjusted or a different medicine chosen.
Cholesterol lowers
But first: what exactly are statins? Statins inhibit the formation of cholesterol in the liver and lower cholesterol and fat levels in the blood. Doctors prescribe it for high cholesterol or a combination of too much cholesterol and too much fat in the blood. They also prescribe it preventively to people who have an increased risk of cardiovascular problems, such as angina pectoris or diabetes mellitus.
(Severe) muscle complaints
With all statins registered in the Netherlands (atorvastatin, fluvastatin, pravastatin, rosuvastatin and simvastatin), you can get muscle complaints. You can suffer from muscle pain and cramps, but also from muscle breakdown and muscle tear. Mild muscle complaints, such as muscle pain, are common, especially at the beginning of the treatment. Fortunately, the more serious complaints are rare, but you can still have to deal with them at a later stage.
In addition to muscle complaints, you can also suffer from tendon complaints, such as tendon infections and tendon tears.
Who suffers more?
Do you suffer from kidney dysfunction, a reduced thyroid function or neuromuscular disorders (muscle and nerve disorders)? Then you have a higher chance of getting muscle complaints. If you use another medicine in addition to this, the combination of these sometimes also increases the risk of muscle complaints. These drugs can inhibit the breakdown of statins, increasing statin levels in the blood. You can then suffer from muscle complaints earlier.
Which drugs increase the risk of muscle complaints?
Simvastatin and atorvastatin are known to increase the risk of muscle complaints, among others, ketoconazole and erythromycin. In addition to medications, grapefruit may also increase the risk of side effects. So you better not eat it.
What should I do in case of muscle complaints?
It is important to discuss complaints with your doctor, because there can also be other causes. If your complaints really seem to be caused by the statins, the doctor may decide to (temporarily) stop taking the drug or reduce the dose. Can you stop it altogether? Usually you will no longer suffer from muscle pain within two months, but sometimes it takes longer.
Your doctor may also decide to prescribe a different statin. Some statins may cause fewer symptoms than others. This probably has to do with the extent to which they penetrate into muscle tissue.
Can red yeast rice also cause muscle complaints?
Unfortunately, the use of red yeast rice – just like with statins – can also cause muscle complaints as a side effect. This is because it contains a natural statin: monacolin K. If you want to achieve the same effect as with ‘normal’ statins, it is recommended to take 10 milligrams of it daily. Research has shown that the amount of monacolin K in supplements differs greatly. So consult your doctor or doctor before you decide to switch to red yeast rice.
This article was produced in collaboration with Lareb . Side Effects Center. This is the Dutch reporting and knowledge center for side effects of medicines, including vaccines, and the use of medicines during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Lareb identifies risks of the use of medicines in daily practice and generates and disseminates knowledge about this.
