A new study suggests that those who are taking statins for heart disease increase their risks of developing cataracts by up to 27 percent.
The researchers from Oxford University reviewed the medical data of 14,000 people for more than eight years, split evenly among those who had took in statins for at least three months and those who have never taken the drug.
Their findings showed a 27 percent increase in risk even after accounting other factors that may cause cataracts. Older people, in particular, are found to be the most vulnerable because their analysis showed that they had the most number of patients with cataracts – which gives the eyes opacity and requires surgery to prevent blindness – and statin users.
The team looked at 27 statin trials which involves 175,000 people -- with some of them were at low risk of heart problems. The previous studies established that the statin drugs lessen the risk of strokes, heart attacks and operations to unclog arteries by one third.
The positive effect of statins aided all patients, healthy or with high levels of cholesterol. Lower overall death rates were also noted on those taking statins than those who were taking placebo.
The researchers therefore concluded that the positive effects of taking statins greatly outweigh the side effects, like the risk of getting cataract.
Dr. Jessica Leuschen, of San Antonio Military Medical Center, Texas told Daily Mail, “This study found statin use to be associated with an increased risk for cataract. Weighing the benefit-risk ratio of statin use, specifically for primary prevention, should be carefully considered.”
The study was published in the online journal JAMA Ophthalmology.
Aside from statins being linked to cataracts, other studies also showed increased risk to type 2 diabetes, constipation, diarrhea, headaches, appetite loss and pain on the hands and feet.
