New Warnings on Statins

The FDA says statin-type cholesterol-lowering drugs can cause memory problems. Drugs like atorvastatin, lovastatin, pravastatin and simvastatin are widely prescribed to lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease. For years, some patients have complained that taking such drugs interfered with their mental clarity. Many prescribers dismissed such complaints as psychosomatic. But now the FDA has modified the official prescribing information for statins. The agency will now require drug companies to warn that some patients may experience memory loss or confusion while taking statins. Patients and families are advised to alert prescribers if such side effects occur. The FDA is also adding a warning about increased blood sugar and type 2 diabetes in association with statins. It has taken the Food and Drug Administration over two decades to discover that statins can cause cognitive impairment.