What You Should Know About Statin Side Effects

Media reports questioning the safety of statins are raising concerns about side effects such as muscle pain. These reports alarm Cleveland Clinic physicians, who worry people will stop taking the drugs. "Statins are incredibly safe. They reduce the rate of heart attack and stroke, and save more lives than almost any other drug. Sure, side effects can occur, but the risk is very low, and the benefits far outweigh the risks," says Stanley Hazen, MD, PhD, co-section head of Preventive Cardiology and Rehabilitation at Cleveland Clinic.