Almost all side-effects listed for statins are not caused by the drugs, according to the world’s most comprehensive review of evidence.
Other than the well-known risks around muscle pain and diabetes, only four of 66 other statin side-effects listed on labels – liver test changes, minor liver abnormalities, urine changes and tissue swelling – are supported by evidence. And the risks are very small, according to the systematic review and meta-analysis published in the Lancet.
Statins have been used by hundreds of millions of people worldwide over the last three decades and are proven to reduce heart attacks, strokes and cardiovascular deaths. At the same time, millions have been put off the drugs amid long-running safety concerns, with statin labels listing dozens of possible side-effects.
The study is the most comprehensive assessment of evidence for listed side-effects of statins. It examined 19 randomised controlled trials involving 124,000 people, with an average follow-up of four and a half years.
