Q: As a nurse for decades, I have seen numerous episodes of negative statin experiences. Most often, the prescribing physician refuses to entertain the possibility of statins as the cause, though when given a doctor-approved “statin holiday,” many patients become pain-free and resume normal activity. One patient with a total cholesterol level of 98 read your article on the danger of extremely low cholesterol.
The physician’s response was: “The lower, the better.” A short time later, the patient died of a hemorrhagic stroke, as your article had warned. Statin reactions can ruin lives, even if some doctors refuse to believe it.
A: You have raised one of the most controversial topics in cardiovascular medicine. Most experts are in agreement that lowering LDL cholesterol reduces the risk of ischemic strokes (those caused by blood clots in the brain). But they don’t agree about how using statins to lower LDL cholesterol affects the risk of hemorrhagic strokes (those caused by bleeding in the brain).
One meta-analysis looked at 33 statin trials (Journal of the American Heart Association, Feb. 20, 2024). The authors noted a small increased relative risk (17%) for bleeding strokes among those taking statins to lower their LDL cholesterol.
An accompanying editorial emphasizes that “ ...
the fear of HS [hemorrhagic stroke] risk should not preclude statin use if clinically indicated.” Learn about statins and other ways of managing cardiovascular risk in our “eGuide to .