Statin pills much safer than advertised, major review finds

A major scientific review published in The Lancet medical journal on September 8, 2016, has concluded that statins are significantly safer than previously suggested by controversial reports, following an extensive analysis of data from clinical trials involving more than 120,000 patients. Led by researchers from the University of Oxford and funded by the Medical Research Council, the study aimed to settle a long-standing public health debate by comparing the cholesterol-lowering medication against dummy placebos. The investigation was prompted by concerns that exaggerated claims regarding side effects were deterring high-risk patients from taking life-saving medication, potentially leading to thousands of unnecessary heart attacks and strokes. The comprehensive review highlights that for every 10,000 people treated with statins over a five-year period, the pills prevent approximately 1,000 major cardiovascular events in patients with pre-existing vascular disease. In contrast, the occurrence of serious side effects remained remarkably low. The researchers found that the medication caused only about five cases of muscle damage (myopathy) and approximately 50 to 100 new cases of diabetes per 10,000 users. Most importantly, the study clarified that many reported aches and pains often attributed to the drug were actually found to be equally common in the placebo groups, suggesting they were not caused by the medication itself. This landmark publication serves as a corrective measure against what the authors describe as "misleading" studies that have over-emphasized the risks of statins. The controversy had previously led to a noticeable drop in prescriptions and adherence among patients in the United Kingdom and globally. By providing a definitive meta-analysis of high-quality trial data, the medical community hopes to restore public confidence in statin therapy. The researchers emphasized that while no drug is entirely without risk, the benefits of statins in preventing mortal cardiovascular events far outweigh the potential for harm for the vast majority of patients.