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The Curious Bag
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Statin drugs have been widely celebrated as an effective way to lower dangerous levels of cholesterol that lead to heart disease and stroke. However, as their use has increased, many unintended side effects have caused concern.
Function
Statins work by lowering the natural production of cholesterol in a person's body, forcing the body to get the cholesterol it needs from foods, therefore lowering the total cholesterol level, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Minor Side Effects
NaturalNews.com lists the minor side effects of statins as nausea, iritability, amnesia, diarrhea, memory loss or confusion, sleep problems and constipation.
Warnings
The most common side effect is muscle pain or soreness. In some cases this muscle weakness can lead to a serious disorder called rhabdomyolysis, that has been known to cause liver damage, kidney failure and sometimes death.
Significance
According to a 2004 CBS News report, Lipitor, a statin, is the world's best-selling drug.
Expert Insight
The Mayo Clinic warns that combining statins with other types of cholesterol-lowering medication may increase the chances of more serious side effects.
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