The risk of developing muscle symptoms from taking statins is “insignificant” compared to the “highly proven” benefits of taking the drugs in those at risk of cardiovascular disease, according to a study published in The Lancet yesterday (August 29).

 

Aside from a “small effect associated with high-intensity therapy”, the study’s authors found no new risk of statin-associated muscle symptoms after a year of commencing treatment.

 

The study, which was presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress 2022 in Barcelona, Spain yesterday, appears to debunk years of “widespread concerns” that statin use frequently causes muscle pain or weakness, according to the study’s authors.

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But the study – which analysed data from over 155,000 patients across 23 randomised double-blind trials on statin therapy – found that, among those who reported muscle pain, there is a less than 10% chance that taking statins is the cause of those symptoms.

 

The study compared the rate of reported muscle symptoms in a group of patients undergoing statin treatment with a placebo group to determine the number of cases where symptoms had been caused by statins.

 

 

Revise information in patient leaflet

 

 

The findings suggest that muscle symptoms in statin users are more likely to be caused by other factors, said Colin Baigent, director of the medical research council population health research unit at the University of Oxford and join lead on the study.

 

“Statin therapy should continue until other potential causes have been explored,” Professor Baigent recommended. “Additionally, in light of our analysis, we believe there is a need to revise the information in the medication label for statins to clarify that most muscle pain experienced during statin therapy is not due to the statins.”

 

The “small proportion” of patients whose muscle symptoms had been caused by statin use did not usually stop their treatment, the study’s authors noted. “This implies that most cases of muscle pain or weakness caused by a statin were clinically mild,” they said.

 

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The study’s authors hope that the results will help clinicians and patients make “informed decisions” on starting or staying on statin therapy, according to Christina Reith, senior clinical research fellow at Oxford Population Health and joint leader of the study.

 

“While people on statin therapy may develop muscle symptoms, it is important to note that people not on statins also commonly get such symptoms,” Dr Reith noted.