Private MD News

Statins may cause fatigue

Category: Heart Health and Cholesterol

Many people who have received unhealthy cholesterol test results are given a prescription for statin medications by their doctor. However, new evidence has linked these drugs to an increased risk of experiencing significant fatigue.

For the study, researchers from the University of California, San Diego administered either statin medications to a placebo to a group of more than 1,000 test subjects.

The results showed that participants who received the active statin pills were significantly more likely than those given the placebo to report having low energy levels or to say they became fatigued easily with activity.

The researchers said the findings are important because numerous studies have observed feelings of fatigue in patients on statin medications. However, there have been no investigations prove the association through this type of placebo-controlled trial. The findings help confirm what has already been observed by medical professionals.

This could help drug manufacturers and regulators develop more accurate warning labels that address the risk of fatigue associated with taking statin medications. This could prepare patients for potential side effects when they begin taking statins.