[the_omnivore] Patients Can Report Statins' Adverse Effects On New Web Site

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This is from The Omnivore.

Patients Can Report Statins' Adverse Effects On New Web Site

 

A new web site at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) School of

Medicine - http://www.statineffects.com - will enable people from around the

world to self-report adverse effects of statin drug use, or use of other

cholesterol drugs.

 

*This line of research is important because many physicians and other experts

in heart disease and cholesterol are familiar with the benefits of statins

and other cholesterol drugs, but are unfamiliar with the adverse experiences

with these drugs that many people have reported - such as effects on muscle pain

or weakness, memory and thinking, or mood,* said Beatrice A. Golomb, M.D.,

Ph.D., Associate Professor of Medicine, and head of the UCSD Statin Study.

 

A statin is any of a class of lipid-lowering drugs that reduce serum

cholesterol levels by inhibiting a key enzyme involved in the biosynthesis of

cholesterol. Statin cholesterol-lowering drugs are among the most prescribed

drugs in

the United States. According to Consumer Reports, two such drugs -

atorvastatin (Lipitor) and simvastatin (Zocor) - were #1 and #2 best-selling

drugs in the

country in 2004, with 75 million prescriptions for Lipitor alone. Although

pharmaceutical companies report that side effects of statin drugs are rare,

there are some patients who experience serious consequences of taking these

drugs.

 

*We received many calls from patients in the community experiencing side

effects, and wanting answers about what to expect. We developed this web site as

a

tool to gather information on side effects, and to help answer these

questions,* said Golomb.

 

The site will provide access to a broad group of people, facilitating the

opportunity for patients to confidentially share information about their

experience, said Golomb, who adds that a comprehensive understanding of the

impact of

cholesterol-lowering medications, including statins, has not been undertaken.

The site also provides information on statin use, including what users can

expect and ways in which they can minimize health risks.

 

Golomb has been actively researching the effects of statin medications for

the past seven years. She and the research team at UCSD School of Medicine are

currently completing an NIH-funded study of 1,000 subjects to evaluate the

effects of statin drugs on cognition, behavior and serotonin biochemistry.

According to Golomb, among people who have contacted the UCSD Statin Study to

report

adverse effects, nearly 60% of patients reported muscle weakness or fatigue,

and about half reported cognitive problems.

 

*We believe it is important to understand the full spectrum of effects, both

beneficial and adverse,* said Golomb. *Our work is geared toward expanding

knowledge of the impact of statins in order to better inform the public and the

medical community. By filling out the web site survey, statin patients can help

us to help others with the same concerns.*

 

Article URL: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=52630

 

--

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