Anti-lipids medication

Question 1

What is the action of Statins? How does it help with hyperlipidemia?

Answer 1

Statins inhibits HMG-CoA reductase, an enzyme involved in the production of cholesterol in the liver.
This leads to increased LDL-R synthesised to increase uptake of cholesterol into the liver, hence, reducing LDL cholesterol levels in the blood.

Question 2

What is the major adverse effect of Statins?

Answer 2

Muscle toxicity - causing rhabdomyolysis, myositis.

Question 3

What other possible causes of muscular symptoms and raised Creatinine Kinase must be first ruled out before implicating Statins?

Answer 3

vigorous physical activity, hypothyroidism, infection, recent trauma, and drug or alcohol addiction