Jill Slade, assistant professor of radiology and osteopathic manipulative medicine at Michigan State University, explains that statins help to prevent the formation of cholesterol.
But she warns that they may have an unwanted effect on healthy muscle cells in parallel with their health benefits in, for example, the liver.
She adds that previous estimates of the extent to which statins cause unwanted muscular effects may have been conservative in comparison to the actual impact on patients.
Among the symptoms associated with statin therapy are muscle fatigue, tissue deterioration and weakness.
However, other recent health advice has focused on the positive aspects of treatment using statins - in particular the drug rosuvastin.
Researchers from McGill University Health Centre found that the treatment can reduce mortality rates by 21 per cent and diminish cardiac risk by 44 per cent.
Their discoveries were considered of such importance that they ended the trial ahead of its scheduled completion date in order that they may be able to present their findings to the scientific community more quickly.
