If you suffer from high cholesterol, you understand what can happen if it’s not taken care of properly. High cholesterol, though controllable, can leave you at risk for numerous medical issues, including cardiovascular disease, strokes, and heart attacks.
In order to control high cholesterol, your doctor may prescribe certain drugs called statin drugs, which are used to help control, maintain, and lower your cholesterol levels. Statins are the standard drugs that doctors turn to to help treat and control this disease. Statins are sold under a number of names including Lipitor, Mevacor, Pravachol, and Zocor.
There are many side effects to these commonly prescribed drugs for cholesterol. Patients using statin drugs may experience muscle pain and weakness, digestive problems, rash and flushing, liver damage, and lastly, memory loss.
Due to the varying side effects of statin drugs, some doctors tend to shy away from prescribing it until other measures have been used to help control their patient’s high cholesterol. Living a healthy lifestyle by exercising, eating well, and keeping your weight controlled are other alternatives to taking statin drugs and experiencing memory lapses and memory loss. These alternatives should be taken into consideration, especially if you feel the side effects outweigh the risks of higher cholesterol levels.