A popular drug used to keep cholesterol in check might be interfering with a good night’s sleep, claims researchers.
A large study looking at sleep patterns of people who took the statin drug simvastatin, sold under the trade name Zocor, found they had significantly worse sleep quality compared with people who took pravastatin, sold under the trade name Pravachol, another cholesterol-lowering drug.
“The findings are significant because sleep problems can affect the quality of life and may have adverse health consequences, such as promoting weight gain and insulin resistance,” states Dr. Beatrice Golomb, of the University of California at San Diego School of Medicine.
Both simvastatin and pravastatin help lower levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), the so-called “bad” cholesterol. But,because simvastatin is fat soluble, it can more easily penetrate cell membranes, making its way across the blood-brain barrier, a mechanism that protects the brain from infection.
“The results showed that simvastatin use was associated with significantly worse sleep quality,” Golomb said. As a result, she suggests that people who are having insomnia while taking simvastatin should consult their doctor.
Please keep in mind that all medications have side effects and to see one company find ways to market one drug over another does not impress me, but sleep loss does.
Sleep loss over time can be the key ingredient to diabetes, obesity, cancer, arthritis and auto-immune diseases; and that is serious.
God Bless,
Dr. Benzinger
