Why Your First Year After Discontinuing a Statin Can Be Deadly

Statins are a commonly prescribed medication to control cholesterol, but some people struggle to stay on them. Now, new research finds that going off statins could raise your risk of dying from heart disease.

The scientific review analyzed data from 52 studies of more than 4 million people on statins, most of whom had recently started the therapy. The researchers found that people who stopped taking the medication had a higher risk of dying from cardiovascular disease within a year compared to those who continued taking the medication.

“This review highlights the importance of addressing the modifiable risk factors associated with statin discontinuation,” the researchers wrote.

Not everyone who goes on statins will stay on the medication, so researchers want to learn more about the potential link to health risks.

Why Would Going Off Statins Raise Heart Disease Risks?

A link between stopping statin therapy and a higher risk for heart disease probably goes back to the reason why people go on statins in the first place, Yu-Ming Ni, MDa cardiologist and lipidologist at MemorialCare Heart and Vascular Institute at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, CA, told Verywell.

Statins are a class of medications that are commonly used to lower cholesterol and lower the risk of cardiovascular disease. When people have too much cholesterol in their blood, it can form plaque that stick to the walls of arteries, which narrows or blocks them. When blood can’t move through those spaces, it can lead to serious problems like heart attacks and strokes.

“Statins help prevent heart disease,” said Ni. “If you stop taking statins, your risk for heart disease will go up.”

Statins also help reduce inflammation in the arteries. When someone stops taking them, it can increase the formation of plaques in the arteries that can lead to cardiovascular disease, Robert Rosenson, MDdirector of Metabolism and Lipids for the Mount Sinai Health System, told Verywell.

Why Do People Stop Taking Statins?

The recent research found a wide range of people who stop taking statins—anywhere from less than 1% to 70.5%, depending on the study analyzed. However, a report from the American Heart Association found that about 10% of patients stop taking statins on their own.

The study also looked at reasons people discontinued the treatment, including lack of healthcare access and poor insurance coverage.

Experts say there are a few other common reasons why people stop statin therapy.

“You are treating an asymptomatic condition—LDL cholesterol—so, the patients often feel well and believe that they no longer need the statin after the LDL cholesterol has been reduced,” said Rosenson, though he added that discontinuing the medication usually causes a person’s LDL cholesterol level to go back up within a few weeks.

Some people can’t afford to keep taking the medication, according to Ni. Others may simply not understand why they were put on statins in the first place.

Another common reason people want to go off statins is because they can have side effects, like muscle cramps.

“Some people are afraid of them occurring or they actually have them occur, and they stop taking the medication,” Jessica Wilczynski, PharmD, clinical assistant professor in the Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, told Verywell. “But there are many things we can do for that, including reducing the dose.”

Ni added that muscle cramps from statins usually subside within a few weeks.

Statin Alternatives

For people who really don’t want to take or cannot take statins, there are other medications that may help.

“There are several prescription medications that may be prescribed in addition to or instead of statins,” said Wilczynski. These include Zetia, or injectable drugs like PCSK9 inhibitors (Praluent, Repatha). “

However, Wilczynski pointed out that these alternatives may not be as effective as statins. And even if they are as effective or even slightly more effective, they often cost more than statins.

Healthcare providers say that statins are still considered the better choice in most cases.

“In several guidelines, statins are recommended as a very effective, generally well tolerated, generally affordable first line therapy,” said Wilczynski.

Ni agreed, emphasizing that “statins are a safe medication.”

It’s important to have a conversation with your provider if you’re thinking about stopping statin therapy. You should never just stop taking them on your own.

“Ultimately, the patient and the doctor have to work together,” said Ni. “The doctor should be explaining why you’re taking certain medications.

Your provider can talk to you about ways to manage statin side effects and give you some insight into what other options you may have.