Of all cholesterol-lowering drugs, statins are the most widely used. Switch to another statin drug. Not everyone who takes a statin will have side effects, but some people may be at a greater risk than are others. The risk is small but important enough that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a warning on statin labels regarding blood glucose levels and diabetes.The increase generally occurs when blood sugar levels are already higher than normal and fall in the prediabetes or diabetes range when you begin taking a statin.Statins prevent heart attacks in people with diabetes, so the relevance of the mild increase in sugar values with statins observed in some people is unclear. © 1998-2019 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). It is dangerous to take some medicines with some statins. Don't stop taking your statin medication before talking to your doctor. All rights reserved. Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization and proceeds from Web advertising help support our mission. Gavreto (pralsetinib) is an oral selective RET kinase inhibitor for the...Onureg (azacitidine) is a nucleoside metabolic inhibitor indicated for the...Qdolo (tramadol hydrochloride) is an opioid agonist indicated in adults for ...Xaracoll (bupivacaine hydrochloride) is a fully bioresorbable collagen implant...The easiest way to lookup drug information, identify pills, check interactions and set up your own personal medication records. Food and alcohol. Not everyone who takes a statin will have side effects, but some people may be at a greater risk than are others. HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, also called statins, are a widely prescribed group of medications used to lower high cholesteroland other lipids (hyperlipidemia) in addition to diet. You wouldn't need any additional liver enzyme tests unless you begin to have signs or symptoms of trouble with your liver.Contact your doctor immediately if you have unusual fatigue or weakness, loss of appetite, pain in your upper abdomen, dark-colored urine, or yellowing of your skin or eyes.It's possible your blood sugar (blood glucose) level may increase when you take a statin, which may lead to developing type 2 diabetes. Rarely, if the increase is severe, you may need to try a different statin.Although liver problems are rare, your doctor may order a liver enzyme test before or shortly after you begin to take a statin. Generally, this feels like soreness or weakness of the muscles. Remember that statin medications can reduce your risk of a heart attack or stroke, and the risk of life-threatening side effects from statins is very low.If you have read about the potential side effects of statins, you may be more likely to blame your symptoms on the medication, whether or not they're truly caused by the drug.Even if your side effects are frustrating, don't stop taking your statin medication for any period of time without talking to your doctor first. If the increase is only mild, you can continue to take the drug. Among the 345 men on high doses, there was no effect of alcohol on the risk of liver inflammation, even in the men who averaged more than two drinks a day. Overall, there are no specific health risksassociated with drinking while using statins. We comply with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information - While statins are highly effective and safe for most people, they have been linked to muscle pain, digestive problems and mental fuzziness in some people who take them and may rarely cause liver damage.Statins include atorvastatin (Lipitor), fluvastatin (Lescol XL), lovastatin (Altoprev), pitavastatin (Livalo), pravastatin (Pravachol), rosuvastatin (Crestor, Ezallor) and simvastatin (Zocor, FloLipid).Having too much cholesterol in your blood increases your risk of heart attacks and strokes. Bottom Line on Statins and Alcohol Statins play an important role in the care of patients with cardiovascular disease and have a good safety record in clinical practice. "Mayo," "Mayo Clinic," "MayoClinic.org," "Mayo Clinic Healthy Living," and the triple-shield Mayo Clinic logo are trademarks of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.© 1998-2020 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). All rights reserved. Rarely, people develop a more severe problem called rhabdomyolosis, where the … Statins are medications. Risk factors include:Grapefruit juice contains a chemical that can interfere with the enzymes that break down (metabolize) the statins in your digestive system. *Note: This is not a complete list; always check with your pharmacist for possible Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.Gavreto (pralsetinib) is an oral selective RET kinase inhibitor for the...Onureg (azacitidine) is a nucleoside metabolic inhibitor indicated for the...Qdolo (tramadol hydrochloride) is an opioid agonist indicated in adults for ...Xaracoll (bupivacaine hydrochloride) is a fully bioresorbable collagen implant...The easiest way to lookup drug information, identify pills, check interactions and set up your own personal medication records.