Can Statins Lower My Blood Pressure?

Wondering if taking statins for hypertension can help to lower blood pressure? Read this guide and learn why it is safe to take statins for controlling high BP.

Quick Summary

• Statins help in reducing the amount of cholesterol plaque that accumulates in the arteries, resulting in less blood reaching your organs and muscles.
• To be the most successful, they must be used with other treatments like lifestyle changes and hypertension medication.
• Statins can also assist in maintaining the muscular lining of the arteries, lowering fibrin deposits in the arteries.

Statins are one of the most popular prescribed medications on the market. Physicians have long observed that the health benefits obtained from statin are much more rapid than could be explained by simply decreasing plaque accumulation.

One possible explanation is that statins may also be helpful in lowering the blood pressure. Recently, study authors have speculated that part of this effect may be due to the blood pressure reduction that statins often provide.

So, if you are wondering how statins can be helpful in lowering blood pressure and if you should give them a try, keep reading.

What Is High Blood Pressure Or Hypertension?

High blood pressure is a risk factor for a variety of health problems, including stroke, heart attack, and other cardiovascular problems. The average person has a normal blood pressure reading of 120/80 mm Hg. Reading over 140/90 mm Hg is considered high blood pressure and can be dangerous if left untreated.

Although many people with high blood pressure do not experience any symptoms, uncontrolled hypertension can cause severe damage to the arteries. Cholesterol plaque can also form in the scar tissue created by long-term hypertension, weakening the artery even more.

If you know your risks and make appropriate lifestyle changes, hypertension can be primarily managed and controllable. For those who cannot make such changes on their own, medications can be a powerful ally in fighting off heart disease and other cardiovascular complications.

How Do Statins Affect Blood Pressure?

Statins are types of medications that are used to lower cholesterol. They work by lowering the amount of cholesterol plaque that forms in the arteries, which in turn reduces the amount of blood that reaches your organs and muscles. This reduces the risk of serious health problems such as heart attack and stroke.

While there are many different statin drugs on the market, some of the more well-known ones include atorvastatin (Lipitor), rosuvastatin (Crestor), and simvastatin (Zocor). Some patients may also be prescribed a lipid-lowering agent called cholestyramine or colestipol concurrently with a statin medication.

It is important to note that statins will not work on their own if you have high blood pressure. They must be combined with other treatments, such as lifestyle changes and medication for hypertension, to be the most effective.

Who Can Use Statins?

Statins are a class of medications that can help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol. People who have cardiovascular disease (CVD), and a high risk for heart problems, may be best suited for statin therapy.

These medications can also be helpful to people with diabetes who have high levels of LDL cholesterol. However, these medications do not work as well in people with very low levels of LDL cholesterol or those without CVD.

However, not everyone is likely to benefit from statins. Unless you have a specific risk factor for cardiovascular disease or you experience signs or symptoms consistent with coronary artery disease, it’s unlikely that taking statin medication will improve your health or save your life.

What Are The Benefits Of Statins?

Statistics show that people who take statins have a lower incidence of heart attacks and strokes. Statin use can also help keep the muscle lining of the arteries healthy, reducing the deposits of fibrin in the arteries.

So not only do statins reduce cholesterol levels, but they can also reduce your risk for cardiovascular events by other means. While it may not be a cure-all for high blood pressure, statin use can make a big difference in managing this health condition.

Are There Any Risks Of Statins?

There are several different statins available, and each has its own side effects and risks. The most common side effect of statins can be muscle pain. However, pain often goes away as the body adjusts to the drug.

There is also a slight risk of increased blood sugar levels and “fuzzy” thinking while on statins. These symptoms don’t occur in most patients and usually disappear if you stop taking the drug.

Grapefruit juice increases the side effects of statins, so it should be avoided if you take statins. In addition, smoking decreases the positive effects of statins, so you should avoid smoking while taking them.

Should You Consult Your Doctor Before Taking Statins?

If you have high blood pressure and your doctor recommends taking a statin, carefully weigh the pros and cons. Statins can provide modest reductions in blood pressure, but they may also have other benefits, such as reducing LDL cholesterol levels.

But, if your blood pressure is within the normal or healthy range, you shouldn’t take a statin just for other benefits (such as modest blood pressure reduction).

A heart-healthy diet and regular exercise most days of the week are part of the prescription for better blood pressure and cholesterol. Talk with your doctor about lifestyle changes and medications to get your blood pressure under control.

Conclusion

Statins are medications that are known to lower cholesterol levels and protect against heart disease effectively. Recently, research has suggested that statins also work to reduce blood pressure independent of their cholesterol-lowering effects.

 It shows that statins work by reducing the stiffness of artery walls, something that can lead to reductions in blood pressure readings.

If you’re taking a statin and your blood pressure is not dropping as much as you would like, it’s important to speak with your doctor about it. Taking these medications can be hard at first, but they can significantly improve your health in the long run, so don’t hesitate!