title: [Still doubt about side effects of statins].
abstract: Statins are among the most commonly prescribed drugs in the Western world. Hence, one would expect their safety and side effect profile to be firmly established. However, this assumption may be false. In a recent analysis, acute memory loss appeared to be significantly associated with the use of lipid-lowering drugs, of which statins are the most important subgroup. However troubling these findings may be, the study could still not exclude the possibility of the findings having been confounded by detection bias. Thus, decades after their introduction, uncertainties regarding side effects may still surround massively prescribed drugs, highlighting the need for care and caution on prescription of even the most commonly used drugs.
authors.affiliation: VUmc, afd. Inwendige Geneeskunde, Amsterdam.
authors.forename: Yvo M
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Smulders
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced*
chemical_list: D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents