Should you take statins after age 75?

Although the risk of death from heart disease increases with age, a recent NIA-supported study suggests that adults 75 and older who start taking a cholesterol-lowering drug known as a statin may have a lower risk of death than nonusers. Findings were reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Why should over 70s not take statins?

And he says older people at risk of heart attack who take the medication should consider staying on it. "Getting off the statins essentially puts people at risk for heart attacks because they lose the protection of what lowering the cholesterol gives or provides at that age," says Dr.

Do you have to take statins for the rest of your life?

Therefore, most people who begin taking a statin medication will likely take it for the rest of their lives. If you've been taking statins and would like to stop, you'll need to do so with your doctor's guidance. This is because it can be dangerous to stop taking statins.

Why do doctors push statins?

Statins are the go-to treatment option for lowering cholesterol levels and risk of cardiovascular complications, like heart attack and stroke. Statins work by slowing down cholesterol production and enabling the liver to remove low-density lipoproteins (LDL), or “bad cholesterol,” from the bloodstream.

What can I take instead of statins to lower cholesterol?

5 Years After Stopping My Statins

When should elderly stop taking statins?

Do not start a statin in patients ages ≥ 75 years who do not have known vascular disease or type 2 diabetes; start or continue a statin in all patients ages 75 to 84 with type 2 diabetes to prevent cardiovascular events and mortality; and start or continue a statin in patients ages > 75 years who have known vascular ...

Which statin is best for elderly?

Atorvastatin or fluvastatin are usually recommended because there is no need to adjust the dose according to the glomerular filtration rate [28]. In patients without diagnosed atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, it is indicated a moderate dose of statin, such as atorvastatin 20 mg daily [28].

Is atorvastatin safe for the elderly?

Atorvastatin has been widely investigated among the older subjects and has the greatest magnitude of favorable effects on clinical outcomes of CHD. The pharmacokinetic properties of atorvastatin allow it to be used every other day, a factor which may decrease adverse events and be especially important in the elderly.

What are side effects of statins in the elderly?

However, statins can cause side effects in older adults including gait disturbances, which can lead to falls; increased blood glucose levels and incidence of diabetes mellitus; development of cataracts; liver toxicity; and muscle complications such as rhabdomyolysis, which is a potentially life-threatening condition.

Do statins cause rapid aging?

Statins may slow human aging by protecting against telomere shortening: A feature of senescent cells. Summary: Not only do statins extend lives by lowering cholesterol levels and reducing the risks of cardiovascular disease, but new research suggests that they may extend lifespans as well.

Who should not take atorvastatin?

Do statins cause more harm than good?

While statins are highly effective and safe for most people, they have been linked to muscle pain, digestive problems and mental fuzziness in some people who take them and may rarely cause liver damage.

Is there a link between statins and dementia?

Our results showed that strong statins, such as rosuvastatin, atorvastatin, and simvastatin, were associated with a larger reduction of dementia, whereas standard statins, such as pravastatin, fluvastatin, and lovastatin, were not associated with a reduction of dementia.

Can statins slow aging?

Researchers have found that statins, a class of drugs widely used for lowering cholesterol, may also slow down the process of human aging, according to a study published online in The FASEB Journal.

Should a 76 year old take statins?

Adults age 75 and older may not need statins.

Their doctors usually prescribe statins to prevent heart disease. But for older people, there is no clear evidence that high cholesterol leads to heart disease or death.

Do statins affect your eyesight?

The most highly reported ocular adverse events associated with statins were blurred vision (48.4%) and visual impairment (25.7%). Results from logistic regression indicated that the ocular problems formed a greater proportion of the adverse events for subjects taking atorvastatin (2.1%).

Are statins a good idea?

Research has shown that statins are highly effective in reducing the risk of fatal heart attack and stroke.

Does statin use cause memory decline in the elderly?

A new study reports that statins do not cause additional memory loss in older adults. Experts note that some people avoid statins because of concerns over dementia, muscle pain, and diabetes risk.

What is a natural alternative to statin drugs?

Do statins clear the arteries of plaque?

Statins help lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, also known as “bad” cholesterol, in the blood. They draw cholesterol out of plaque and stabilize plaque, Blaha says.

What is the most serious side effect of atorvastatin?

Common Lipitor side effects are diarrhea, upset stomach, muscle and joint pain, and changes in some blood tests, according to Pfizer Inc. The drug label also warns of serious side effects such as liver problems and muscle problems that can lead to kidney failure.

What are the worst side effects of atorvastatin?

What are the long term effects of taking atorvastatin?

In Summary. Commonly reported side effects of atorvastatin include: hemorrhagic stroke, arthralgia, diarrhea, and nasopharyngitis. Other side effects include: urinary tract infection, insomnia, limb pain, muscle spasm, musculoskeletal pain, myalgia, and nausea. See below for a comprehensive list of adverse effects.

What is the downside of statins?

A warning that people taking statins may experience increased blood sugar levels and may develop type 2 diabetes. People taking statins should have their blood-sugar levels checked regularly. A warning that those taking lovastatin, a type of statin medication, are at risk for muscle damage.

Can statins weaken the heart?

Since statins can cause muscle damage, they could theoretically also harm the heart--which is, essentially, a big muscle--although there is no evidence that this is the case.