If you have high cholesterol, lifestyle changes are usually the first treatment. But if these steps don't bring the numbers low enough, your doctor may recommend medications to help. The most commonly used cholesterol-lowering medications are called statins.
How they work 
Statin drugs interfere with the production of cholesterol, according to the <a href="[BASEDOMAIN]/healthinfo/bouncelink.aspx?shortcut=fda" target="_blank">U.S. Food and Drug Administration</a>&nbsp;(FDA), helping the liver filter more LDL (bad) cholesterol out of the blood. 
According to the <a href="https://www.netreturns.biz/healthinfo/bouncelink.aspx?shortcut=nih" target="_blank">National Institutes of Health</a>&nbsp;(NIH) and other experts, research shows that statins can: 
<ul>
 <li>Lower LDL cholesterol by as much as 25% to 55%. </li>
 <li>Lower high levels of triglycerides&mdash;fats in the blood that can increase the risk of heart disease. </li>
 <li>Slightly increase HDL (good) cholesterol. </li>
</ul>
Statins should start lowering your cholesterol readings within a few weeks.
Side effects 
Part of the reason statins are the first choice among cholesterol-lowering drugs is because they are safe for most people, according to NIH.
Some people do have problems with upset stomach, gas, constipation, and abdominal pain or cramps. These side effects are usually mild to moderate and lessen with time. 
Rarely, people taking statins develop rhabdomyolysis, a serious condition that damages muscle tissue. Symptoms include muscle soreness, pain, weakness, fever, nausea, vomiting and brown urine. 
Liver problems are another rare side effect. 
Interactions 
Statins may also cause problems when taken along with other medications. According to FDA, people should use statins with caution if they are also taking gemfibrozil, amiodarone, verapamil or blood thinners. People should also talk with their doctors about the risks of using a statin along with HIV medicines, birth control pills, nefazodone and niacin.
Finally, drinking more than 8 ounces of grapefruit juice or eating more than half a grapefruit each day could affect statins, according to <a href="[BASEDOMAIN]/healthinfo/bouncelink.aspx?shortcut=uptodate" target="_blank">UpToDate</a>.
People who have side effects may be switched to a different statin or to a different cholesterol-lowering drug. 
Pregnant women or people with liver disease shouldn't take statins, according to the <a href="[BASEDOMAIN]/healthinfo/bouncelink.aspx?shortcut=aha" target="_blank">American Heart Association</a>.
Reviewed 4/17/2024

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Statins help lower cholesterol with few side effects. (2 min. read)