The NHS has urged people taking a common prescription statin to “call 111” if they suffer its “serious side effects”.
The statin can bring cholesterol levels down, prevent angina, heart attacks and stroke or other complications if you have cardiovascular disease.
It can also be prescribed to those with diabetes, kidney disease or familial hypercholesterolaemia, a condition which can cause high cholesterol.
Common side effects can include headache, dizziness, nausea and digestive problems. It can also cause muscle aches, a blocked or runny nose and sleep problems
While most people won’t suffer serious side effects, on rare occasions it can cause complications.
The NHS’ official advice is to call 111 if “you’re taking atorvastatin and think you might be having serious side effects”.
111 is the less urgent non-emergency health advice number run by the NHS. For life-threatening emergencies, it’s still 999.
It says that rare serious side effects can include:
- inflammation of the liver (hepatitis), which can cause yellowing of your skin and the whites of your eyes – yellowed skin may be less noticeable if you have brown or black skin
- inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis), which can cause severe stomach pain
- inflammation and damage to the muscles, which can cause muscle cramps, severe pain and weakness – you may also have other symptoms such as a high temperature and red or brown pee
- an allergic reaction (anaphylaxis), which can cause symptoms such as a swollen throat or tongue, a raised, itchy rash or difficulty breathing
Separately, the NHS also advises not to take arvostatin with certain other treatments.
It says: “There are some medicines, remedies and supplements that may not mix well with atorvastatin.
- other medicines for lowering cholesterol, such as fibrates
- antifungal medicines, such as itraconazole or fluconazole
- antibiotics such as fusidic acid, erythromycin and clarithromycin
- medicines for viral infections including HIV and hepatitis C
- medicines for high blood pressure or heart disease, such as diltiazem or verapamil
- ciclosporin, a medicine given after an organ transplant
- warfarin, a medicine to prevent blood clots
- St John’s wort, a herbal supplement”
The NHS adds: “You can eat as normal while taking atorvastatin, but avoid having too much grapefruit juice as it can increase the chance of side effects. Do not have more than 1 or 2 small glasses of grapefruit juice a day.
“Also, try to limit how much alcohol you drink while taking atorvastatin, as it can increase the risk of side effects like liver problems.”