Statin effects on both Men and Women

Repost. By Rachel | June 15, 2018

Statins are proven to help lower the chances of cardiovascular disease in both men and women. There can be some differences in the way in which this medication effects the opposing gender, but overall, not by much. These medications have been proven to lower cholesterol levels in the blood. With cholesterol buildup in the arteries, there is an increase risk of heart attack and stroke. It is important that we maintain healthy cholesterol levels by turning to statin use for help!

Side Effects

With taking any drug, there are going to be some common side effects. Most people who take statins do not experience too many side effects. Some statins have different effects than others. If you experience persistent side effects you should consult your doctor about changing medications. Some common side effects include: constipation, diarrhea, or nausea.  Also, individuals taking statins should avoid eating grapefruit. Certain statins can interact with grapefruit and increase side effects. This is most common when taking simvastatin.

Differences

CDH risk differs between genders, with coronary events lagging behind ten years for women in comparison to men. Women tend to develop heart disease about 10 years later than men and their risks don’t start to equal men until their mid-70’s. The benefits of statin therapy have been well established in men for both primary and secondary prevention. However, there have been some differences in women’s prevention, but not by much. The data that has been released regarding statin efficiency in men and women have been inconsistent, but on a large-scale they have shown similar benefits in the sexes.

Overall statin use has shown to decrease cardiovascular events in both men and women. There is an increase of awareness that women taking statins should understand that do not effect men as much. For example, female patients need to monitor and be cautious of myalgia (muscle pain) and hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) because these side effects are more common for women. Women’s health should be monitored on a higher scale while taking statins since heart complications do not appear until later in life. It is always better to be more aware about our health and what we can do to prevent disease than not!