MILLIONS of Americans taking popular daily drugs don't need them and may be putting themselves at risk of nasty side effects, says major study READ MORE: Daily statins taken by millions could be replaced by gene therapy By Emily Joshu Health Reporter For Dailymail.Com Published: 13:01 EDT, 11 June 2024 | Updated: 14:13 EDT, 11 June 2024 e-mail 25 shares 83 View comments Millions of Americans on cholesterol-lowering pills may not need them and could be putting themselves at risk of side effects like liver damage. Using a new risk calculator, researchers estimated that 40 percent of people in the US taking statins to prevent heart disease won't actually develop the condition.
That figure adds up about 17million Americans, including 4million currently taking statins, who would no longer need to take the pills. If the findings translate into new recommendations and policy, it could be hugely consequential. As one of America's most popular drugs, statins, represent a $15billion industry, which is expected to grow to $22billion by 2032.
And for patients, the pills have been linked to a host of nasty side effects such as headaches, muscle pain, liver damage, issues with blood clotting. Statins, taken by millions of Americans, are a cheap class of drugs that are meant to lower cholesterol, reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke Researchers in a new study published in JAMA Internal Medicine found fewer Americans need to be taking statins than previously thought, adding up to ov.
