Statins For Heart Failure Linked to Greater Fatigue, Shortness of Breath

Cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins taken by millions of Americans with heart failure may increase the risks of fatigue and shortness of breath, according to a new study.

Still, medical experts aren’t calling for an end to the use of Lipitor and other statins, which are credited with reducing blood blots in patients with cardiovascular disease and have advantages that most doctors agree far outweigh the relative health risks, according to a HealthDay news report.

Heart failure is a chronic, life-threatening condition in which the heart fails to beat properly and is unable to effectively circulate blood through the body. Nearly six million Americans suffer from heart failure, which can lead to shortness of breath, fatigue, and a build-up of fluid in the lungs and legs.

Researchers from Northeastern University and Massachusetts General Hospital found that patients taking the statin drug Lipitor were more likely to suffer from fatigue and shortness of breath compared to heart failure patients not on the drugs.

The small study was based on the medical records of 136 heart failure patients. Patients were examined to determine what effect Lipitor (atorvastatin) and other statins might have on two types of heart failure — systolic and diastolic.

Patients with diastolic heart failure who took a statin cholesterol drug had almost half as much exercise tolerance as those with the condition who didn’t take the drugs, the researchers found. The study team stressed that not all statins are created equal in terms of increased fatigue and shortness of breath and that some brands caused favorable and less favorable outcomes in patients.

Lipitor and other statins have been linked to serious health complications before. In July, a study found the class of cholesterol drugs could cause permanent damage to muscle tissue. Also, earlier this month, Lipitor, Crestor, and other brands of statins were found to potentially increase the risks of developing diabetes.

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