Table of contents:
- Lipitor drugs are cholesterol-lowering drugs with the following side effects
- 1. Cramps and muscle pain
- 2. Liver function problems
- 3. Trigger diabetes risk
- 4. So it's easy to forget
High cholesterol should not be underestimated. In addition to healthier lifestyle changes, some people may also be prescribed lipitor drugs by a doctor to lower their cholesterol. The way lipitor works is by blocking the HMG-CoA enzyme which transmits a signal to the liver (liver) to produce cholesterol. Lipitor drugs are also often used to prevent heart disease.
Even so, just like other medicines, lipitor drugs also have a risk of side effects that you need to be aware of.
Lipitor drugs are cholesterol-lowering drugs with the following side effects
1. Cramps and muscle pain
Muscle cramps and soreness are the most common side effects of taking lipitor medications. The sensation can be felt only on one side of the body or even both. Pain usually occurs in the muscles of the arms, legs, back and shoulders.
2. Liver function problems
Lipitor is a statin drug that can trigger liver function problems. Even so, the risk of this one side effect is rare.
Liver function problems due to use of lipitor can be detected through liver function tests. If the results show an increase above normal values, the doctor will replace the lipitor with another type of statin drug.
People with liver disease are especially at risk for liver function problems. So, the doctor will do an intensive examination first before prescribing a lipitor for you.
3. Trigger diabetes risk
A study from the British Medical Journal in 2014 found that the statin drug lipitor has the potential to trigger diabetes after observing 137 thousand high cholesterol patients. The study reports that diabetes risk is most susceptible to occur in the first 4 months after taking the drug.
Lipitor is a statin drug that can increase your blood sugar levels thereby increasing your risk for developing diabetes. This risk is fairly small, but it must be watched out for.
What needs to be understood, the doctor prescribes a lipitor for you because they understand very well that the benefits outweigh the danger of a very slight increase in blood sugar. If you are still worried, you should further consult your doctor.
4. So it's easy to forget
In 2014, the FDA, the food and drug regulatory agency in America equivalent to the BPOM, reported that lipitor drugs can cause side effects of temporary memory loss or forgetfulness.
However, research by a team of researchers at John Hopkins Medicine in 2013 on 23,000 men and women showed no link between statin use and memory loss or dementia. On the contrary, the use of statins can help prevent dementia. This may occur because one type of dementia occurs due to a blockage in the blood vessels of the brain. Statins help prevent this blockage.
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