Statin therapy is generally well tolerated and very effective in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease, regardless of cholesterol levels; however, it can be associated with various adverse events (myalgia, myopathy, rhabdomyolysis, and diabetes mellitus, among others).
Which statin has the least amount of side effects?
In the analysis of 135 previous studies, which included nearly 250,000 people combined, researchers found that the drugs simvastatin (Zocor) and pravastatin (Pravachol) had the fewest side effects in this class of medications. They also found that lower doses produced fewer side effects in general.
What is the most well tolerated statin?
Simvastatin and pravastatin had the best safety profile, according to this review. Overall, the researchers found a 9 percent increased risk of type 2 diabetes in people taking statins.