#cardiovascular system #heart attack #bad cholesterol+1

Side Effects: What You Need to Know When Taking Statins

October 28, 2025

3 min read

Statins are necessary for some cardiovascular issues. Unfortunately, however, these drugs have side effects that you need to be prepared for. Let's look at the side effects and how to deal with them.

Key takeaways

Statins are necessary for some cardiovascular issues.
Why are statins taken?
Side effects

Who this is for

People exploring Cardiovascular health through cardiovascular system, heart attack.

Why it matters

This piece helps you get oriented quickly, then move into a collection or series if you want to keep going.

Article author

Dr. Mary

Cardiologist

Why are statins taken?

The most common reason for taking statins is the presence of atherosclerotic plaque, which is a pathological formation in the blood vessels that interferes with normal blood flow. When blood pressure rises or there is a vascular spasm, plaque can rupture and block the lumen of the vessel, leading to a heart attack or stroke. Statins lower cholesterol levels, which contribute to plaque formation, by blocking the enzyme needed by the liver to produce it.

Side effects

Side effects from taking statins are pretty common—according to various sources, they occur in 5% to 20% of patients. The most common ones are:

Muscle pain
Liver damage
Darkening (sometimes blue color) of urine
Risk of developing type 2 diabetes
Neurological problems, such as confusion

People who take several cholesterol-lowering drugs, very high doses of statins, or drugs that interact with statins are at higher risk of these side effects. In addition, patients over 80 years of age, those who abuse alcohol, or suffer from kidney disease, liver disease, hypothyroidism, or neuromuscular diseases are at risk.

Statins should not be taken with citrus fruits, especially grapefruit and juice. They block enzymes in the liver (CYP3F), which increases the concentration of statins in the blood and increases the risk of muscle tissue cell destruction.

Guidelines for taking statins

First, let's talk about what you shouldn't do. If you are on a statin, don't stop taking it without talking to your doctor. If you notice any side effects or discomfort, you should immediately talk to your doctor. Your doctor might suggest:

Take a short break from the medication to determine what's causing the muscle pain.
Switching to another statin, changing the dose, or taking the medication every other day.
Trying other cholesterol-lowering medications. Sometimes, a combination of cholesterol-lowering medicines can work well at lower doses of statins.
Start taking supplements with coenzyme Q10, which helps prevent side effects.

Under supervision

To understand how statins affect your health, you should have tests done 1.5–2 months after starting treatment. First, your lipid status‒the levels of various fractions of cholesterol and triglycerides in your blood‒is determined. Since statins can cause muscle damage, the following indicators should also be checked.

Liver enzymes (ALT, AST): Statins cause an increase in their levels, which signals inflammation.
ALT: These enzymes are markers of cell damage.
Myoglobin: High protein concentrations indicate heart problems and a risk of heart attack.
Total creatine phosphokinase: An intracellular enzyme that is an early marker of myocardial infarction.
Creatinine: Elevated levels indicate kidney problems or muscle tissue breakdown.
Glucose: The risk of developing diabetes while taking statins is high in people who are predisposed to this disease and those who have severe metabolic syndrome.
Coenzyme Q10 level: when taking statins, its level can decrease significantly.

Coenzyme Q10 improves blood circulation and reduces the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases such as coronary heart disease, hypertension, and arrhythmia. This substance helps the body produce the energy needed for the heart, brain, and muscles to function, as well as neutralizes free radicals and slows down the aging process. Normal coenzyme Q10 levels in the blood range from 0.39 to 1.59 mg/L.

Regardless of test results, when taking statins, you must monitor your well-being and immediately inform your doctor if you experience pain in the upper right abdomen, loss of appetite, excessive fatigue, weakness, darkening of urine, or yellowing of the skin or eyes.

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