<h2>Statin Use in Various Patient Types</h2><iframe class="ql-video" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/At4DZRSMTic"></iframe><p><a href="https://www.marleydrug.com/zypitamag" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Learn about Pitavastatin</a> | <a href="https://patient.zypitamag.com/docs/prescribing_information.php" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Pitavastatin Prescribing Information</a> </p>

Educational Video Content

<h5><strong>Choosing the Right Statin for You​</strong></h5>
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<p>
There are several statin options available. Each have slight differences. Some things to discuss with your healthcare provider to help you decide which statin is right for you include:​</p>

<ul>
    <li>What dose of statin should I take?​</li>
    <li>Will a statin interact with any food or medications I take?​</li>
    <li>Am I at risk of statin intolerance?​</li>
    <li>Which statin has the fewest side effects?</li>
</ul>
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<p><a href="https://www.marleydrug.com/compare-statins" target="_blank">Compare Statin Options</a></p><br>

Statin Options

<h5><strong>~9.1% of Those Who Take Statins Will Experience Statin Intol​erance </strong></h5>

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<p>

Statin intolerance is when someone cannot take their statin therapy due to side-effects or adverse events they experience. Certain risk factors that increase your chances including:</p>



<ul>

  <li>Being female: 47.9% increase risk​</li>

  <li>Increasing age: 33.1% increased risk​</li>

  <li>Having hypothyroidism: 39.6% increased risk​</li>

  <li>Being overweight: 30.6% increased risk</li>

</ul>

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<p>Learn more about additional <a href="https://www.marleydrug.com/statin-intolerance" target="_blank">statin intolerance risk factors</a> here and what you can do.</p>

Statin Intolerance and Side Effects

<p>Pitavastatin is a third-generation statins used to treat high cholesterol. Due to the unique way our bodies process it, it has a reduced potential for interacting with certain foods and medications compared to other statins.</p><p>Learn more <a href="https://www.marleydrug.com/5-things-to-know-about-pitavastatin" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">about pitavastatin</a>. </p>

5 Things to Know About Pitavastatin

<p>Statins, like all medications, can interact with other foods, drugs, supplements and vitamins you take. If you are taking medications along with a statin its important to know the differences between each statin.</p><p>Click to learn more about <a href="https://www.marleydrug.com/statins-and-drug-interactions" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">statins and drug-interactions</a>. </p>

Statins and Drug-Drug Interactions

<p>Coenzyme Q10, or CoQ10, is an antioxidant that our body produces naturally. Statins are known to lower CoQ10 levels, however, this effect is different from statin to statin. </p><p>Learn more about <a href="https://www.marleydrug.com/statins-and-coq10" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">statins how they affect CoQ10 levels</a>. </p>

Statins and CoQ10

Cholesterol: What It Is and Why You Should Care

Cholesterol

Heart Health

<p><a href="https://www.marleydrug.com/blog/what-are-statins">Statins</a> are cholesterol-lowering medications prescribed to patients to help get their cholesterol levels under control. Controlling your cholesterol levels is extremely important for your heart health. You can check out our <a href="https://www.marleydrug.com/blog/cholesterol-what-it-is-and-why-you-should-care" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">cholesterol blog</a> to learn more!</p><p>A lot of people who start on a statin stop taking it due to side effects, with the most common being <a href="https://www.marleydrug.com/blog/statin-muscle-pain-is-more-common-then-you-think-will-switching-statins-help">muscle pain</a>. When this occurs, switching statin doses and <a href="https://www.marleydrug.com/blog/stopped-taking-your-statin-because-of-muscle-pain-we-may-have-a-new-solution-for-you" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">changing to a different statin</a> are reasonable options your healthcare provider may propose to you.</p><p>The problem with evaluating muscle pain is that it is very subjective, and therefore, it frequently relies on self-reporting from a patient rather than something that can be directly measured by the healthcare provider.</p><p>A recent study called the SAMSON study aimed to investigate if patients' perceived pain symptoms are ‘real’ or potentially in their heads.</p><h3>Potential Theories as to Why Statins are Associated with Pain</h3><p>Before discussing the SAMSON study, let’s first hypothesize other reasons, besides statins, as to why someone taking a statin may experience muscle pain. While a healthcare provider should never rule out the statin as the true cause of pain in someone, there are a few alternative theories that have recently been proposed.</p><p><strong>Changes in your Lifestyle: </strong>If you’ve been recently diagnosed with <a href="https://www.marleydrug.com/high-cholesterol" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">high cholesterol</a> you may not only have started taking a statin, but you may have also made some lifestyle changes, like exercising more. The muscle pain some people who are new to statins experience may be the side effects of your hard work exercising rather than from your actual statin.</p><p><strong>The Nocebo Effect: </strong>When your healthcare provider goes over the list of potential side effects for your statin, this may lead you to believe that taking these medications will cause you pain. This is referred to as the ‘nocebo effect’. The simple act of talking about this may instill the belief that when you take a statin you will get muscle pain.</p><p><strong>Age Related Aches &amp; Pains: </strong>Another possible reason for the symptom onset is the fact that statin therapy is usually initiated at a time in people's lives where pain and ailments become more frequent (such as at an older age). Therefore, you may get those symptoms regardless of being on the medication or not, but since starting the medication is the only new thing that has been added to your daily regimen, these pains are often blamed on the medication.</p><p>Can you think of any other ideas? Drop them in the comments below!</p><h3>How the SAMSON study worked</h3><p>The SAMSON study was created to assess the daily symptom scores of patients during 3 phases:</p><ol><li>while taking a statin</li><li>while taking a placebo (no medicinal ingredients at all, usually referred to as sugar pills)</li><li>when taking no medication at all</li></ol><h4><img src="https://marley-storage.imgix.net/b8619c23-5a7a-4393-aa1a-5e8cd6c1350d/bl-sideeffects-random-test.png">All of the patients included in this study had previously abandoned their statin therapies due to intense side effects.</h4><p>The placebo pills were made to look identical to the statin pills so that patients could not tell which medication they were taking.</p><p>Patients were given 12 bottles, with each containing a 1-month supply of medication; 4 bottles contained statin medication, 4 bottles were empty, and 4 bottles contained the placebo pills. These bottles were then randomly ordered so the patients had no idea which they were taking.</p><p>Patients were then asked to submit daily symptom intensity scores to rate their symptoms on a scale from 0 (meaning no symptoms) to 100 (meaning the worst imaginable symptoms).</p><h3>Results of the study</h3><p><img src="https://marley-storage.imgix.net/b8619c23-5a7a-4393-aa1a-5e8cd6c1350d/bl-statinadherence.png">As expected, of the three phases, patients experienced the least amount of symptom intensity when not taking any medication, but surprisingly, they experienced a similar intensity of symptoms when on either the statin or the placebo pills.</p><p>They found that 26 of 60 patients (43%) stopped taking their statin medication for that month due to symptoms and 23 of 60 patients (38%) had stopped their placebo medication for that month due to symptoms.</p><h4>What this indicates is that the symptom intensity can be more attributed to the action of taking a pill rather than to what the pill contains.</h4><p>What the study investigators did next was share these results with the patients so they could see that for most of them had symptoms on both the placebo and the statin. This encouraged some participants to attempt statin therapy again.</p><p>The results of this counseling approach were fantastic.</p><p>At a 6-month follow-up after the trial was over, <strong>50%</strong> of the participants had successfully restarted statin therapy.</p><h3>Should you give your statin another chance</h3><p>True statin intolerance is hard to determine because pain symptoms are subjective for each person and it is hard to pinpoint a direct cause of those symptoms.</p><p>Another study similar to this one, the IMPRES study, found that true statin intolerance was only indicated in 6.2% of patients. Also, patients who do have statin intolerance may have a better outcome on a different lower-intensity statin.</p><p>Stopping statin therapy is correlated with an increased risk of <a href="https://www.marleydrug.com/heart-disease">heart disease</a> which is why it is very important to try and stay on them, as they can be considered lifesaving drugs.</p><p>One useful thing patients can do to assist their healthcare providers in determining the true cause of their pain is to try symptom tracking. This involves detailed logging of what your symptoms are when you started having them, as well as what has changed in your life to possibly contribute to this. This will help healthcare providers pinpoint the actual cause of your pain and treat it effectively.</p><p>The SAMSON study showed that these early ideas we have about statins causing pain symptoms may contribute more to us actually experiencing those symptoms than the medication itself. Though side effects from statins are real, they may be driven more by the act of taking a pill rather than the fact that the pill contains a statin. Have a discussion with your healthcare provider today about re-introducing your statin therapy.</p><h6>This information and data was informed by the SAMSON and IMPRES studies.</h6><p><br></p>

A study found that true statin intolerance was only indicated in 6.2% of patients. This is why you should give your statin another chance.

A study looked at the rate of statin side effects in people with high cholesterol to understand how they perceive side-effect symptoms. Learn more.

Statin Symptoms: Could They Be In Your Head?

<p>Being diagnosed with <a href="https://www.marleydrug.com/high-cholesterol">high cholesterol</a> can be an emotional experience.  The first thought is often: 'What can I do to fix this?' What lifestyle changes can I make? How do I get myself back on track? </p>

<p>The truth is, that sometimes making <a href="https://www.marleydrug.com/high-cholesterol" target="_blank">changes to your diet and exercise</a>, even if they are drastic, aren’t always enough, and medication is required. In this case, the first medication you will likely be prescribed is a <a href="https://www.marleydrug.com/blog/what-are-statins">statin</a>. </p>

<h2>Choosing A Statin</h2>

<p><a href="https://www.marleydrug.com/compare-statins" target="_blank">Choosing the right statin</a> for you can be a challenging task. There are a lot of factors that go into deciding what statin is right for you. </p>

<p>There’s also a lot of negative press about statins in today’s world. Dr. Google is not always the best place to go or give the best advice. The best person to ask is your healthcare provider. </p>

<p>They can guide you through the process, discuss your concerns, and choose a statin that fits your lifestyle and family history.</p>

<h3>Amy’s Experience: Diagnosed with High Cholesterol</h3>

<p>One of our customers reached out to share her journey after being diagnosed with high cholesterol. We felt this story may resonate with a lot of you as you may have a similar experience. </p>

<div style="background-color:#F0F3F5; padding:30px 5% 10px 5%; border-left:5px solid #fee203; margin: 20px 0 30px 0;">

<p>Just after my 50<sup>th</sup> birthday last year, my cholesterol levels were awful. I was very hesitant to take statins due to personal autoimmune conditions plus a family history of adult-onset diabetes and requested time to really clean up my diet. Unfortunately, after three months of eating clean, my levels had gotten worse and a prescription was required. Thankfully, my doctor prescribed Zypitamag and the results have been wonderful.</p>

<p>The statin side effect of increased glucose numbers was one of my biggest concerns but they have not increased on Zypitamag at all. As an added bonus, I have not experienced any side effects from this medication. </p>

<p>I have been thrilled to work with you and Marley Drug for my medication. Our insurance only covers the brand Livalo which is cost prohibitive at $863.27 for 90 days. Obviously, Zypitamag through Marly Drug at $103.50 for 90 days is so much better!!</p>

<p>As soon as my doctor submitted the prescription, I was contacted by Terri, who explained the process and set up delivery to my home and payment through my HSA card. It could not have been easier! </p>

<p>I highly recommend Zypitamag and Marley Drug both and look forward to a long and healthy relationship with each one!</p>

</div>

<h6>* Your personal experience with Zypitamag may differ. Zypitamag is an adjunctive therapy to diet in adult patients with primary hyperlipidemia or mixed dyslipidemia. Zypitamag, like all statins, can cause side effects. The most commonly reported side effects with Zypitamag are back pain, constipation, diarrhea, muscle pain, and pain in the legs or arms. This is not a complete list of side effects. Increases in glucose levels and HbA1c have been reported with statins, including pitavastatin. Talk to your healthcare provider to see if Zypitamag is right for you. This is a stock photo which represents an actual patient testimonial.</h6>

<h4 style="font-weight:600;">About Zypitamag</h4>

<p>Zypitamag (pitavastatin), a third-generation statin, has a reduced potential for interactions with foods and many commonly prescribed medications. Click the button below to learn more about this third generation statin.</p>

<a class="btn btn-center btn-brand" href="https://www.marleydrug.com/zypitamag">Learn about Zypitamag</a>

<h4 style="font-weight:600;">Questions about your Statin and Cholesterol?</h4>

<p>We’re here to help. If you’ve recently been diagnosed with high cholesterol, or have questions about your statin, give us a call and one of our pharmacists would be happy to answer your questions.</p>

<p>Call us at <a href="tel:800-810-7790">800-810-7790</a> for a free pharmacy consultation. </p>

Just after my 50th birthday last year, my cholesterol levels were awful. I was very hesitant to take statins due to personal autoimmune conditions plus a family history of adult-onset diabetes and requested time to really clean up my diet. Unfortunately, after three months of eating clean, my levels had gotten worse and a prescription was required.

Sometimes diet and exercise aren't enough to lower your cholesterol. Read Amy's story on how she dealt with her cholesterol.

Amy's 50th Birthday Surprise: High Cholesterol

Read Our Blogs on Cholesterol Related Topics!

Not all patients are the same. If you have multiple risk factors for coronary artery disease, are over the age of 65, are of Asian descent, or are living with diabetes, then this page is right for you.

Statin Use in Various Patient Types

Choosing the Right Statin for You

~9.1% of Those Who Take Statins Will Experience Statin Intolerance

Other Related Videos

5 Things to Know About Pitavastatin

Statins and Drug-Drug Interactions

Statins and CoQ10

Have medication questions?
Talk with a pharmacist today.

Read Our Blogs on Cholesterol Related Topics!

Cholesterol: What It Is and Why You Should Care

Statin Symptoms: Could They Be In Your Head?

Amy's 50th Birthday Surprise: High Cholesterol

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Statin Use in Various Patient Types

Choosing the Right Statin for You​

~9.1% of Those Who Take Statins Will Experience Statin Intol​erance

Other Related Videos

5 Things to Know About Pitavastatin

Statins and Drug-Drug Interactions

Statins and CoQ10

Have medication questions?Talk with a pharmacist today.

Cholesterol: What It Is and Why You Should Care

Statin Symptoms: Could They Be In Your Head?

Amy's 50th Birthday Surprise: High Cholesterol

Choosing the Right Statin for You

~9.1% of Those Who Take Statins Will Experience Statin Intolerance

Have medication questions?
Talk with a pharmacist today.