Many people who stop taking their cholesterol-lowering statin drugs because of side effects can successfully try again, a new study suggests.
The report, published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine, shows that people need not abandon statins if a potential side effect crops up experts believe.
Researchers found that of more than 100,000 Boston-area adults who started a statin drug, 17 percent stopped taking it because of side effects. Within a year, more than half gave statins another chance, and most, approximately 90 percent, were able to stick with it.
The findings are based on medical records for nearly 108,000 patients who started a statin between 2000 and 2008. When the patients stopped due to a side effect, the most common reason was muscle aches and pain, followed by joint pain or muscle spasms.
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December 19, 2025 15:10 ET U.S. inflation data and interest rate decisions by major central banks were the highlights of this busy week for economics news flow. Employment data and survey results on the housing markets also gained attention in the U.S. In Europe, the European Central Bank and Bank of England announced their policy decisions and macroeconomic projections.