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Are Statins Safe to Take

“Are statins safe”
Generally safe
Confidence: High Checked on April 14, 2026

Summary

Statins markedly lower cardiovascular events and mortality, and serious adverse reactions are uncommon. Comprehensive reviews and large trial analyses show that most reported side effects are not causally linked to the drugs, with only a few modest risks such as myopathy confirmed. When used as directed, statins are considered safe for the majority of patients.

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Sources 59 searched

millionhearts.hhs.gov
pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
medlineplus.gov
  • Statins: MedlinePlus

    You should not take statins if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. They are also not recommended for people who have certain types of liver disease. To safely take statins, you should: Take your statin as prescribed. You should not stop taking this medicine on your own, since that can lead to a serious problem or, in rare cases, even cause death.

bmj.com
thelancet.com
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  • Adverse effects of statins - myths and reality - PubMed

    Statins reduce cardiovascular mortality and morbidity as well as cardiovascular events in patients with a very high risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and also in subjects with high or moderate risk by reducing the levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). Although they are considered to be drugs with a very good safety profile, because of their wide use there are many concerns that their adverse effects might compromise their proven beneficial effects. Therefore this article reviews all the data and provides an evidence- based insight what are the proven adverse effects of statins and what are the "myths" about them. The most important side effects include myopathy and rhabdomyolysis.

mayoclinic.org
healthline.com
reuters.com

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