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Drugs that target high cholesterol come with new cautions

New FDA warnings about the side effects of cholesterol-lowering statins have physicians and patients weighing the risks and benefits of taking these drugs

By Deborah Kotz

 |  Globe Staff  

  April 16, 2012

Cholesterol-lowering statins, prescribed to some 30 million Americans, have begun to lose a bit of their luster. A set of warnings issued in February by the US Food and Drug Administration require that statin labels include information about the possibility of cognitive side effects such as memory loss and confusion, and an increase in blood sugar levels that could trigger type 2 diabetes. Already on manufacturer websites, the warnings will soon be appearing on the package inserts that accompany prescriptions.

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