Statin Myths: Why Patients Avoid Cholesterol-Lowering Therapy

In an interview with Pharmacy Times, Alexander Turchin, MD, MS, associate professor of medicine in the Division of Endocrinology at Mass General Brigham, discussed the most common myths patients cite for avoiding statin therapy and why reluctance toward these agents persists, building on his upcoming presentation at the National Lipid Association (NLA) 2026 Fall Clinical Lipid Update.

According to Turchin, one of the most frequent misconceptions is that patients can effectively reduce their cholesterol through lifestyle changes alone. He explained that even in clinical trials, where patients receive very structured and intensive support with lifestyle changes, these interventions have lowered low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol only minimally, and real-world evidence generally shows barely any effect. Although his patients often ask whether lifestyle modification is a reasonable alternative, Turchin said the answer is that it is not very effective.

Patients also frequently raise concerns about adverse effects, some of which are not actually commonly seen with statins. Effects on memory are a common example, and Turchin noted that study after study has shown statins do not adversely affect memory.

Turchin identified 2 main reasons statin reluctance persists despite decades of safety data:

• First, myalgias, the most common adverse effects of statins, can be difficult for lay people to distinguish from the everyday aches and pains nearly everyone experiences. As a result, patients may blame the statin for pain that appears after starting therapy, sometimes even years later, when the medication is not necessarily the cause.
• Second, Turchin pointed to what he described as a big for-profit industry that perpetuates statin myths, citing the rows of books on sites such as Amazon that portray statins as harmful. He noted that many of the people generating income from these claims are physicians.

For pharmacists, recognizing these misconceptions can help frame conversations with patients who are hesitant to start or continue statin therapy.