Some Statin Drugs Raise Risk For Kidney Damage by a THIRD

Statin drugs have been linked to a number of health complications including increased risk for nerve damage, worsened osteoarthritis of the knee and hardening of the arteries. Unfortunately this list only continues to grow, as researchers warn high-potency statin use is associated with an increased risk for kidney injury.

It all started when researchers were alarmed upon reviewing the detailed results of a trial known as JUNIPER (Justification for the Use of Statins in Prevention: an Intervention Trial Evaluating Rosuvastatin). Trial results reported to the FDA indicated that statin patients had a 35% increased risk of developing acute renal failure when serum creatine was factored, a common indicator of renal function. Meanwhile, a separate body of research indicated that those who take statins have a 50% increased risk for renal failure.

In light of data alluding to a dose-dependent response, the Canadian Network for Observational Drug Effect Studies (CNODES) launched a review to evaluate the risks of kidney failure as they may pertain to statin dosage.

Researchers reviewed over two million patients aged 40 years or older, newly treated with statins between  January 1, 1997 and April 30, 2008.

CNODES researchers published the result of their review in the British Medical Journal indicating that high-potency statin users were 34% more likely to be hospitalized with acute kidney injury within 120 days compared with low-potency statin users. Those with the highest risk were taking 40 mg or more of their prescribed statin drug.

“High potency statins” were defined as follows: Rosuvastatin (Crestor, AstraZeneca) at 10 mg or more, atorvastatin (Lipitor, Pfizer) at 20 mg or more and simvastatin at 40 mg or more.

In an interview with heartwire, the study’s co-author J. Michael Paterson (Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences, Toronto, ON) stated, “if a decision is to be made about whether to start at high vs. low potency, one needs to consider this additional risk that’s most prominent in the first 120 days after starting.”