Study Finds Most Statin Side-Effects Not Caused by the Drugs

A major review finds statins do not cause most side-effects listed on medicine labels.
Researchers published the analysis in The Lancet after reviewing 19 trials with 124,000 participants.
Apart from muscle pain and diabetes risk, evidence supports only four minor side-effects.
These include liver test changes, mild liver abnormalities, urine changes, and tissue swelling.
The study found no strong evidence linking statins to memory loss, depression, sleep problems, or nerve damage.
Lead author Christina Reith said statins did not increase common complaints.
She said benefits clearly outweigh risks for most patients.
Senior author Rory Collins urged rapid updates to statin information.
Experts said clearer labels could counter misinformation and prevent avoidable heart attacks and strokes.