Taking high doses of statins including simvastatin, atorvastatin or rosuvastatin could drastically increase the risk of being hospitalized for kidney damage, says a study from researchers at the Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research in Quebec.
For the study the researchers reviewed health records from roughly two million Canadian citizens. They found that those who were hospitalized for acute kidney injury (AKI) were 34 percent more likely to be taking a high dosage of any statin.
Lead researcher Professor Donal O'Donoghue said those beginning a statin treatment should be especially aware of their kidneys:
"Every person on a statin needs careful assessment of their AKI risk. We know AKI occurs in over half a million people in the U.K. each year. At least 1 in 5 are due to medicines. This costs the NHS £1.3 billion per year. This new study shows the need to 'think kidney' when drugs are prescribed. In England there are over 55,000 excess deaths per year due to AKI - at least 12,000 are unnecessary."
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