Statins found to have 'almost no side effects'

Statins, which lower cholesterol and help prevent heart disease, have almost no side effects, with patients experiencing fewer adverse symptoms than when taking a placebo, researchers found.

Scientists from Imperial College London's National Heart and Lung Institute examined the results of 29 trials involving more than 80,000 people and found that only a small minority of side effects are attributable to statins.

According to the NHS, minor side effects of taking the drugs include an upset stomach, headache or insomnia and rare but serious side effects include kidney failure. However, the researchers found that only the risk of diabetes was found to be slightly raised by the drugs.

Dr Judith Finegold, writing in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, said: "Most people in the general population, if you repeatedly ask them a detailed questionnaire, will not feel perfectly well in every way on every day.

"Why should they suddenly feel well when taking a tablet after being warned of possible adverse effects?"