Taking Atorvastatin? Could These 15 “Subtle” Side Effects Be Affecting You?
The headline is a little sensational. Atorvastatin is generally well tolerated, and many symptoms attributed to it can have other causes. Still, it can cause side effects worth knowing about.
Possible side effects
Some reported effects include:
- Muscle aches or soreness
- Muscle weakness
- Muscle cramps or spasms
- Joint pain
- Unusual tiredness or lack of energy
- Headache
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
- Gas
- Heartburn or indigestion
- Abdominal discomfort
- Sleep disturbance/insomnia
- Forgetfulness or memory problems
- Confusion
- Changes in liver enzymes or blood glucose.
Important: Not all of these are necessarily caused by atorvastatin. For example, muscle pain is common in the general population, and clinical trials show that some symptoms occur at similar rates with placebo.
🚨 Symptoms you shouldn’t ignore
Contact your doctor promptly if you develop unexplained muscle pain, tenderness or weakness, particularly if it’s severe or accompanied by extreme fatigue or fever. Rarely, statins can cause serious muscle injury.
Also report dark urine, yellow skin or eyes, loss of appetite, unusual tiredness, nausea, or pain in the upper-right abdomen, which can indicate liver problems. Actual serious liver injury is rare.
Should you stop atorvastatin?
Don’t stop it without talking to your prescriber. Atorvastatin is used to lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke, and stopping it on your own can remove that protection. If side effects are suspected, your clinician can evaluate the symptoms, check blood tests when appropriate, adjust the dose, or consider another statin.
