Statins are a common drug used to treat hyperlipidemia and are currently the most commonly used lipid-lowering drugs . Its application range is almost as popular as ordinary cold medicine. Moreover, statins can also inhibit the synthesis of cholesterol in the body and promote the increase of LDL-C receptors in the body.
However, many middle-aged and elderly people do not know the specific differences and effects of statin drugs , so they have a lot of doubts when taking the drugs. Let’s find out next.
1. What are the effects of long-term statin consumption?
Some diseases cannot be formed overnight, so taking drug treatment does not provide "immediate results", so this is a long-term treatment. It usually takes 2-4 years to see the effects of using statins. After treatment, it can reduce cerebral infarction and myocardial infarction.
Some studies show that the benefits of statins increase the longer they are used . Therefore, current medical science generally believes that long-term use of statins can effectively control blood clots and reduce cardiovascular diseases, and its efficacy will become better and better with the extension of use time
2. Statins Its cholesterol-lowering intensity can be divided into three levels:
1. Low-dose statins, LDL decreases by no more than 30%;
2. Moderate statins can reduce LDL by between 30% and 49%.
3. High-dose statins can reduce LDL by 50%-60%.
3. The specific effects of statins
1. Regulate blood lipids
Statins can play a role in reducing LDL cholesterol, a bad blood lipid. This is because bad blood lipids will increase waste in blood vessels, thereby reducing the production of LDL cholesterol. It also has the effect of increasing high-density lipoprotein cholesterol , so blood lipids will remove excess vascular garbage from the body.
2. Protect blood vessels
Arterial blood vessels will suffer from atherosclerosis, that is, inflammation of the vascular endothelium, which is an inflammatory response . Statins can play a certain anti-inflammatory role and can effectively inhibit the occurrence of atherosclerosis.
. Clear apoptotic cells in blood vessels
In addition to the increase in LDL cholesterol, plaques in arterial blood vessels are also related to inflammation. That is, apoptotic cells in the blood are difficult to be metabolized. Statins can clear apoptotic cells in blood vessels, thereby delaying arteriosclerosis and having a certain protective effect on blood vessels.
4. Which type of statin has the least adverse effects on muscles?
Anyone who uses statins knows that during every review, the doctor will ask: whether there is muscle soreness and whether there is a significant change in the color of the urine. This is because taking statins is very likely to cause rhabdomyolysis. Once it occurs, it can lead to abnormal kidney function.
Among statins, rhabdomyolysis caused by simvastatin is the most common, while pravastatin and fluvastatin are relatively rare. If you have muscle pain caused by taking other statins, you may consider taking an oral statin.
5. Which statin has the least effect on nervous system ?
Some patients will experience symptoms such as headache, dizziness, memory loss and other symptoms. There is a very extreme report abroad, saying that a friend will suffer from amnesia for a period of time after taking an overdose of statins.
This is because these drugs have certain side effects that can cause brain reactions. Rosuvastatin and pravastatin are water-soluble drugs that cannot cross the blood-brain barrier and have very limited effects on the nervous system . If you have neurological symptoms caused by taking other statins, you can consider using them.
6. Which of the statins has the least effect on blood sugar?
Some patients will experience large increases in blood sugar after long-term use of statins. However, there are many debates about the therapeutic effect of statins Many doctors believe that patients taking statin drugs themselves have certain signs of diabetes , and they cannot entirely blame statins.
But regardless, the benefits of statins are much greater than the rise in blood sugar. The study showed that patients taking pitavastatin and pravastatin had the lowest rates of blood sugar spikes. Therefore, patients with blood sugar abnormalities can choose pitavastatin or pravastatin.
7. Pay attention to the precautions when taking statins
Although there are many types of statins, the daily use of some drugs has the same effect on statins. First, the duration of statin treatment. It should be said that most patients who need statins need to take statins for a long time.
Because statins can "inhibit" the main enzymes that produce cholesterol, but cannot "eliminate" them . When the medication is stopped, the "inhibitory effect" will disappear and cholesterol will be regenerated in the body.
Secondly, study the timing of statin use. Usually it is eaten before going to bed.
is usually between 0 o'clock and 3:00, which means that the cholesterol in the body will be secreted strongly when sleeping at night. Taking it before going to bed will have a greater effect on statins.
Finally, I want to emphasize that there is no "most effective, least side effects". Otherwise, there would not be so many heterostatins appearing clinically. The type and dosage of statins depend on individual circumstances.
Summary:
All statins have their own characteristics and are suitable for different patients. In the eyes of doctors, drugs are not good or bad. Every drug is a double-edged sword. If used properly, it can save lives and protect the body, but if used incorrectly, it can become a fatal poison.
Therefore, in daily life, you should choose lipid-lowering drugs according to your actual situation, and take them under the guidance of a doctor to avoid side effects.
