The Study
Statin Safety and Associated Adverse Events: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association
This study is like a teacher summarizing what other science experiments have found about statins. It doesn’t do a new experiment, so it can tell us what might be happening, but not for sure what causes what.
Analysis score
Maximum 5 for a narrative review.
Where the score came from
This study looks at whether statins, which help prevent heart attacks and strokes, are safe for most people, even if some worry about side effects.
Where does this study sit?
Systematic Reviews & Meta-analyses
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Cohort Studies
Max 72Case-Control
Max 58Cross-Sectional
Max 44Case Reports & Series
Max 30Expert Opinion
Max 51 / 100
Quality score
The highest quality evidence. These studies systematically search, appraise, and synthesize results from multiple individual studies, providing the most reliable summary of current knowledge.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1The risks of serious side effects are very low compared to the proven benefits of preventing heart attacks and strokes.
- 2Serious muscle problems from statins happen in less than 1 in 1,000 people.
- 3New diabetes cases happen in about 1 in 500 people each year on statins.
- 4Most muscle aches without blood test changes are not caused by statins.
- 5No strong proof links statins to cancer, memory issues, or other feared side effects.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology
Year
2019
Authors
C. Newman, D. Preiss, J. Tobert, T. Jacobson, R. Page, L. Goldstein, Clifford Chin, Lisa R Tannock, Michael Miller, G. Raghuveer, P. B. Duell, E. Brinton, A. Pollak, L. Braun, F. Welty
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.