Evidence Review: Most Statin Users Won't Have Major Side Effects

(HealthDay News, July 9): According to a large new evidence review, statins, the widely used cholesterol-lowering drugs, have few serious side effects, although they do slightly raise the risk of type 2 diabetes. In the analysis of 135 previous studies, which included nearly 250,000 people combined, researchers found that the drugs simvastatin (Zocor) and pravastatin (Pravachol) had the fewest side effects in this class of medications. They also found that lower doses produced fewer side effects in general.